A Light in the Window
by MyImmortal329
Summary: Michaela Quinn arrives in Colorado Springs not knowing what to expect. What happens when she she meets Sully and a mutual attraction occurs? Will their relationship blossom past attraction, or will the young doctor and the ruggedly handsom Sully lead se
1. Chapter One

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters from Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman. The rights to those characters and to the show belong to the creators of the show, to CBS, The Sullivan Company and to AE.

**A Light in the Window**

**Chapter One**

In her twenty-five years of life, Michaela Quinn had never had an experience quite so adventurous as this, and as she stepped out of the shaky stagecoach and planted her feet on Western soil for the first time in her entire life, she felt an abundance of different feelings running through her heart and mind. Never had she seen such a quaint little town with so many beautiful features surrounding it, including the very beautiful Pike's Peak that seemed to be watching over Colorado Springs. But this was nothing like Boston, and the unpaved streets seemed to shed very little light on the prospect of progress.

She had been very surprised to find that the Reverend Timothy Johnson had agreed to have her come to Colorado Springs to be the physician that the town so desperately required. He had made it very clear that people wouldn't take to a lady doctor, but with time, they would realize that she was their only hope. He had even let her know that he wasn't sure if it was a good idea, but it was better than absolutely nothing. So, in other words, he was willing to accept any offers, seeing as nobody else was willing to come practice medicine in a place where vaccinations were practically unheard of.

"Dr. Quinn?" Michaela's gloved hands moved to pull her skirt up off of the ground as to not get anymore dust and dirt on it, and she turned toward the voice to face a kind-looking man wearing a black hat and suit. Judging by his white collar, she could correctly assume that he was the Reverend she'd been communicating back and forth with for about the last three weeks. She simply smiled and nodded.

"Reverend Johnson, I presume?"

"Yes," he replied with a look of surprise upon his face. In all honesty, he was not expecting to see the beautiful woman that she was. He didn't expect that a lady who was fully intent on being a professional doctor would really care or have time to look nice. But, Michaela Quinn from Beacon Hill wasn't the average woman by any means. She had different goals than most women, and she would do just about anything to accomplish them. He could tell straight off that she was going to be quite a handful.

After the initial shock wore off, he reached out to shake her hand. "Welcome to our town. You must be tired after your trip. I'll show you where you can set up your office."

"My office?" Michaela hadn't expected such hospitality! The Reverend nodded his head, realizing that he hadn't explained to her the rest of the situation in their correspondence.

"Oh yes! After our midwife Widow Cooper died, the bank took proprietorship of the boarding house she ran and owned. But, I convinced my associates, some clergymen in Denver, to help our town by donatin' the money to buy it back. I told 'em that we needed a doctor in our town. I convinced some of the folks here to do the same, but most of 'em who donated were the ladies. They're quite eager to meet ya, Dr. Quinn. Anyway, the boardin' house is all yours if ya wanna sign the lease." Michaela was completely shocked!

"I'm surprised that your associates agreed so easily. I understand from your telegrams that most people around here don't have much confidence in women physicians." She sighed. "Well, they don't really have confidence in women physicians anywhere for that matter."

"They don't know you're a lady doctor," Reverend Johnson explained. Michaela obviously looked surprised.

"You didn't tell them?"

"They didn't ask." Michaela smiled a little as the Reverend picked up her luggage.

"Can you explain something to me?"

"Sure."

"Why did you ask me to come here? Even you said yourself in the telegrams that you're wary of the situation, though I can assure you that I'm fully capable and qualified of doing what needs to be done."

"Honestly, Dr. Quinn, I have to say that I've never had experience with lady doctors, and the folks here insisted that I send for information from the Women's Medical School of Pennsylvania. We found out ya graduated at the top of your class, so we figured that ya had to know somethin' about medicine." Michaela laughed on the inside. It was amazing how narrow-minded people could be. "Most folks still don't like it, but they ain't got a choice." They began to walk away from the stagecoach as curious eyes watched on. "Anyway, there's plenty of room at the boardin' house. You can stay there 'til ya find a place of your own. Do what ya want. It's your buildin' after all."

"I'm definitely going to use it for a clinic," Michaela replied, knowing that this would probably be the only place she'd have a chance to practice in. "But, I do intend on paying you back, Reverend."

"Please, I couldn't take the money. Colorado Springs needs a doctor, and you were the only one willin' to come. Once everybody gets used to it, they'll come around. They ain't goin' to Jake much anymore."

"Jake?"

"Hmm." The Reverend nodded. "Jake Slicker. He's the barber, and we've been goin' to him for barberin' and doctorin' for years. But, last month, we lost four people after they went in to see him for cuts that needed sewin'." Michaela shook her head a little. "Nobody figured out what happened, but it seemed like they got real sick soon after he sewed 'em up."

"Septicemia," Michaela said quietly. A blank look shadowed the Reverend's face.

"What's that?"

"Oh," she said as she shook her head. She knew she wasn't with her colleagues anymore and would have to remember to use words people would understand. "Blood poisoning. It probably came from a dirty needle or instrument in his shop." She decided that it was almost time to change the subject when she realized the Reverend was becoming a little nervous. Obviously he was beginning to think twice about going to Jake for even a shave. "Don't worry. I'll speak with him about sterilizing his instruments." The Reverend cast her an unsure glance.

"Good luck."

"What?" He figured it was best not to venture onto the topic of the very stubborn Jake Slicker just yet.

"Ah, here we are," he announced as they stepped upon the porch of the two-story boarding house. Michaela smiled warmly after the Reverend opened the door. They stepped inside.

"It's lovely! Of course it'll be difficult to keep the dust from the street out, but I'll figure something out." She ran her finger along a tabletop and swept off a line of thick dust. Yes, she had a lot of work to do! "I do intend to pay you and your associates back, Reverend. If you'd rather not accept the money, please donate it to the church on my behalf." The Reverend nodded appreciatively. "Thank you, Reverend. I'll take it."

"I'll take your things upstairs," Reverend Johnson offered. He dug a key out of his pocket and a piece of paper. "I just need your signature on this." Michaela pulled a pen out of her medical bag and signed her name to the boarding house's lease. Her first clinic! It would be different, because her father wouldn't be there to work with every day, but she knew she could get used to having her own medical facility. The Reverend took the document from Michaela and placed the key in her hands. "It's all yours." He started through a door and up a staircase to the second floor.

Michaela stared around, and she sucked in a deep breath. Wow, this place was hers, and it had actually been a gift to her from the citizens of a town she'd just arrived in. While most of them really weren't thrilled to have her around, they knew that a doctor was needed in case of emergencies.

A knock came to the open door. Michaela turned around to see a thin, dark-skinned woman standing there with a baby on her hip and two little boys wrestling around in front of her.

"Hello," Michaela said with a smile.

"Hi," the woman replied with a kind, bright smile. "My name's Grace Smith, and I run the café here in town. I hear you're the doctor that the Reverend sent for?" Michaela walked over to extend her hand to the woman.

"That's right," she said with a smile. "I'm Dr. Michaela Quinn."

"Michaela? That's like Michael," Grace pointed out.

"My father expected a boy," she admitted.

"Do ya mind if I call ya Dr. Mike?" Michaela shook her head.

"I don't mind at all. Whatever you're more comfortable with calling me will work just fine." The little boys continued to play fight.

"Boys! Stand up straight," Grace ordered with exasperation in her voice. She shook her head and looked at the young doctor. "They never listen." Michaela grinned and knelt down to look at the boys. "This is my oldest. His name's Robert Jr." She patted her oldest son on the head. "He's five. This is Thomas. He's four." She adjusted her youngest on her hip. "And this is my little one. His name is Anthony."

"You have three very beautiful little boys, Grace," Michaela noted. The oldest looked up at his mother and made a face.

"Mama, men ain't supposed to be beautiful." Grace chuckled and shook her head.

"Well, ya ain't a man yet, so why don't ya run and play with Tommy? Keep him out of trouble."

"Yes ma'am," Robert Jr. replied. "C'mon, Tommy." He took his little brother's hand, and they rushed out of the building.

"My husband is Robert E., and he's the blacksmith. He's real busy, but he was glad to know a doctor was comin'. He's got a bad case of lumbago he needs lookin' at."

"I'd be happy to make an appointment to see him."

"I'll tell him you said so," Grace said with an appreciative smile. "Don't worry. He won't put up a fuss. He ain't one to say who's got the right to do be a doctor or to be free to do what they want. He believes everybody oughta be equal. So do I." Michaela could tell by the tone in Grace's voice, and the sad look of recollection in the woman's eyes that she and her husband had suffered during their lives. Grace seemed to be older that Michaela, probably in her later twenties. But her soul seemed to be even older, and Michaela expected that she and Robert E. hadn't always been free to run their own lives. No other words were needed to know that they'd had to deal with many hardships. "Well, I best be runnin' along. I just wanted to say 'hello' and welcome ya to town."

"I appreciate that. It's nice to meet you Mrs. Smith."

"Oh please! That makes me sound so old! Please call me Grace."

"Alright, Grace," Michaela replied, shaking the woman's hand again. After Grace left with her youngest son on her hip, Michaela felt such a warmth in her heart. Being alone and a new stranger in this town made her feel a little uneasy, but with Grace's kindness, she only hoped that the two would become fast friends.

"Ready to go?" Reverend Johnson asked, coming back into the room. Michaela looked over at him curiously.

"Ready to go where?" The Reverend glanced at her, noticing that she was a little too dressed up to be venturing out of town.

"Well, maybe you'll wanna change into somethin' else first." Michaela looked at her fancy attire and decided it would probably be best to dress down a little. She didn't really want to stand out in the crowd, especially on her first day in town.

"Alright," she agreed. "But after I change, where are you taking me?"

"To meet your first patient."

* * *

Michaela was on her own at the moment. The Reverend had forgotten that he had a meeting with a couple who desperately needed pre-marital advice, so he had offered to have someone take her out to the homestead she would be visiting. But, she'd refused and explained that she wanted to figure out how to get along by herself out there. So, the Reverend gave her directions to the homestead and sent her on her way.

She didn't know how to ride a horse, and since that was one skill she knew she would have to learn eventually, she decided that she'd take it easy and walk so she could put off learning to ride for another afternoon. The Reverend explained that it was a couple of miles out of town, but she insisted that she would be fine and that she was used to walking long distances. It was true. She walked everywhere she could in Boston if she had the chance, though her mother usually always insisted that she not ruin her beautiful feet, because someday she'd have to pick a husband, and they'd dance in a large ballroom after their wedding. She couldn't believe that her mother had used that excuse on her. Walking was most certainly not going to ruin her feet, and she always felt that if she didn't want to ride home in the carriage after a long day at the hospital working side-by-side with her father, a nice long walk would help her relax before she went to sleep for the evening.

Michaela chuckled to herself at the memory as she neared the homestead. She could see smoke coming from a chimney, and she could already see the humble dwelling. It was a small home, and all that the Reverend told her about the people who lived there was that one of the children was sick. She had no idea about the family considering the fact that Reverend Johnson had been terribly late to his meeting and had to rush off before he got the chance to tell her much of anything else.

Getting closer to the small home, she saw that it looked pretty new and well kept. Whoever lived there surely spent a lot of time keeping it stable for their family.

As she finally reached the homestead, she was surprised to see a Wolf lying lazily on the porch. She was half afraid that he might attack her, but when he looked up, sniffed the air, let his tongue loll out, and rested his head back down on his paws, she realized he wasn't dangerous. But, she was alarmed again when the shrill cry of a baby came from inside of the house. She cautiously moved to the porch, and the wolf didn't move. He was either a very bad watchdog, or he trusted her.

Just as she was about to knock on the door, it opened and a small boy of about eight years old opened the door. He had a sweet face and beautiful dark eyes that looked at her questioningly. He had blonde hair, by the looks of it, and had recently gotten his it cut short. Whoever this boy's parents were obviously cared enough about him to keep him in clean clothes and well groomed. There were so many children in Boston from wealthy families who rarely saw their parents and ran about looking however they pleased. She couldn't help but smile at him.

"Hello, I'm Dr. Michaela Quinn. Is your mother home?" He blinked at her a couple of times before opening his mouth.

"No. She's dead." Michaela automatically felt guilty.

"Oh. I'm sorry. Um, is your father home?"

"He's dead too. Least he probably is anyway." Michaela wasn't quite sure what to say. The boy smiled a little. "Don't worry. I get that look a lot."

"Who is it?" came a strong, masculine voice from inside.

"Some lady name Dr. Mike."  
"Dr. Mike?" Michaela smiled.

"That's Dr. Michaela Quinn," she replied with a smile.

"Can I call ya Dr. Mike?" he asked. "That's easier."

"Whatever works for you," Michaela replied with a grin. At that point, a man appeared with a squalling infant in his arms. Michaela was surprised to see such a handsome man come out of the dimness of the small cabin. He couldn't have been much older than her, and he stood tall. His eyes were like deep, dark penetrating oceans, and his hair was long and slightly curly as it hung an inch or two past his shoulders.

He was clean-shaven and had skin that had obviously been tanned by the hot Western sun. He wore a pair of leather buckskin pants along with moccasins to match, and his shirt was cream colored, though it was a bit stained and faded from age. He was handsome and not in just a rugged way. Something about his eyes just made her heart beat a little faster. She'd never seen anyone like him, and he was very pleasing to the eye.

He studied her for a moment, taking in the sight of her pale skin that seemed to glow under the sunlight. Her hair was long and slightly curly as the sun gave it an angelic glow. The dress she wore clung to her body, and he had the initial wondering of what she'd look like if she wasn't so covered up. She was beautiful, and he had to swallow hard before he could get a word to come out of his mouth.

"You're the new doctor that the Reverend was bringin' in from Boston?"

"Yes," she said, wondering if he could tell that she was blushing. For a moment she wondered if he was going to turn her away for the simple fact that she was a woman doctor, but something in his eyes told her differently. "He told me you have a sick child."

"Yeah," Sully replied. He looked down at the baby in his arms.

"He can't be more than a year old," Michaela assumed.

"Just turned one," the older boy pointed out.

"Matthew, will ya go help your little sister out in the chicken coop?"

"You're tryin' to get rid of me, ain't ya?" Matthew asked. Sully chuckled.

"I can't get nothin' past him these days," he said with a laugh. "Go on, Matthew."

"Yes sir." Matthew hurried outside. Sully stepped out of the way as he continued to rock a screaming little boy in his arms.

"Come on in." Michaela walked into the quaint little homestead and smiled warmly when she saw a cozy fire in the hearth. As she took a quick glance around, she noticed a large bed against the center of the wall near the door, and at the other side of the homestead, beside the little kitchen, were two small beds and a baby's crib. She could tell that this man obviously cared a lot about his family just by the way he looked as he held the little boy. He had worry and fear in his eyes as he held him with great care and gentleness. Seeing a man like him holding an infant and being so careful and cautious seemed different and unexpected, but it was a sweet, breathtaking sight.

"What seems to be the problem?" Michaela asked as she watched Sully rock the baby back and forth.

"He ain't been feelin' right since last night. He didn't sleep at all, and he's been cryin' most of the time. I woulda taken him to Cloud Dancin', but I couldn't leave the kids here alone."

"Cloud Dancing?"

"Yeah," Sully replied, pacing a little with the boy. "He's my friend . . . the Cheyenne Medicine Man." So that was why he had a beautiful beaded necklace around his neck. It did look like something he may have gotten from the Indians.

"I'd like to meet him," Michaela said without thinking. She wasn't frightened of the Indians. Her father had told her how people didn't understand the differences simply because most of them didn't really care to understand. But, she couldn't help but feel a little anxious.

"He'd like to meet you," Sully replied quietly. "I bet you could learn a lot from each other. He extended a hand to her. "Name's Sully."

"And you know my name." Sully chuckled.

"Yeah." She watched as Sully looked at her for a moment. She raised an eyebrow.

"May I?" She reached out to take the child.

"Oh, right," Sully replied. She wondered if he was usually like this, or if her presence was making him a little nervous. He didn't seem to mind having her there at all, though. He placed the baby in her arms, and the little one seemed to relax a bit. Michaela grinned, smiling down at the little boy who looked so much like his older brother. "What's his name?"

"Brian," Sully replied with a smile. Michaela moved over to Sully's bed and placed the boy down on it. She removed him from his clothes, stripping him down to nothing but a diaper and his little socks. Brian stopped crying when he noticed Michaela's long locks of hair. Yes, that was something to play with! His little hands balled into fists, and he tugged her hair. She was used to babies doing this, but she silently scolded herself for not thinking to pull her hair back before working with him.

"Sorry 'bout that. He does that to me a lot, though my hair ain't nearly as long as yours." Michaela chuckled a little.

"It happens all the time." She managed to pry his fingers out of her hair, and Sully watched as she brought her hands up to gather her hair behind her back. He noticed how her face seemed to be almost heart-like in shape, and one eye was a slightly different color than the other.

Michaela listened to the baby's heartbeat, and he thoroughly enjoyed tugging at the stethoscope as she tried to listen.

"Their ma died durin' childbirth," Sully explained. "I knew Charlotte for years. I moved out here when I was real young, and she helped me buy this land and gave me odd jobs so I could make money to buy the supplies to build the house. Ethan ran out on her before she even knew she was expectin' Brian."

"That's terrible," Michaela said, shaking her head.

"But, she left the kids to me, so I been raisin' 'em on my own for the past year."

"It must be difficult."

"It ain't easy," Sully replied, shaking his head. "The kids don't have a ma, and I ain't never been married, so they've been spendin' lots of time with Miss Grace. She's got her own kids and they all like playin' together. Brian 'specially likes her son Anthony. They're 'round the same age."

"I met Grace. She's a very kind woman." Sully nodded. She checked for a fever on Brian, and when she was finished, she started putting the clothes back on him. "Well, it isn't anything serious. Have you been feeding him cow's milk?"

"Yeah," Sully replied.

"I think perhaps the milk set out a little too long. He'll be fine."

"You sure?"

"Positive," Michaela replied as she walked over to find a cup. She mixed something in water and slowly spooned it into Brian's mouth.

"What's that?"

"It'll ease any discomfort Brian may be feeling," Michaela explained. "I'm sure he'll be sleeping soundly in no time."

"Thanks Dr. Mike," Sully said with a smile. "Mind if I call ya that?"

"That's what everybody else is calling me," she replied. The front door swung open and hit the inside wall with a bang. Sully groaned as Brian began to cry again. He scooped the boy up into his arms.

"Matthew, how many times have I told ya to be careful when you're openin' the door?"

"Sorry pa," Matthew said sheepishly. A sweet little girl with hair as blonde as her brothers' came running in after him.

"Pa! Matthew said there's a real lady doctor!" She stopped when she saw Michaela. Her eyes went wide. "You're a real doctor?"

"That's right," Michaela said with a smile. She looked at Sully.

"This is Colleen. She's five. Matthew's the oldest. He's eight."

"It's nice to meet you, Colleen," Michaela said, bending down and extending a hand. Colleen shook it and looked over at Sully with wide eyes.

"Could I be a doctor when I grow up, Pa?"

"If that's what ya wanna be," Sully replied with a hesitant smile. He put Brian down in his crib and picked up Colleen. "You can be whatever you wanna be." He wanted to give the children a good future, but with the money he made selling furs and doing odd jobs for Robert E., he wasn't sure he'd ever save enough to send them to college.

"Well, I think everyone looks healthy here. I think I'll start back to town."

"Did ya walk here?" Sully wondered.

"Yes. I'm afraid I haven't even tried to master the art of horseback riding yet," Michaela admitted.

"Well, why don't ya take our wagon into town with ya? It ain't that hard to steer, and the horses will obey your words."

"Oh, I don't know," Michaela replied quietly. "I'm not so sure that's a good idea."

"Why not?"

"Well, first of all, you won't have a wagon if I take this one back into town."  
"That's why you can bring it back tonight when ya join us for supper." Michaela looked at Colleen who was smiling happily at the thought of having a real lady doctor over for dinner.

"Oh, I couldn't impose."

"Ya wouldn't be imposin'. I asked ya to supper to thank ya for lookin' in on Brian." Michaela swallowed hard.

"Well, I suppose it's proper to accept."

"I don't want ya comin' if ya don't want to."

"No, I want to. Thank you," Michaela said with a smile, feeling her pulse quicken as Sully's eyes stared into hers.

"What do I owe ya for this?"

"Dinner will do just fine," Michaela replied. "Thank you."

"Thank you, Dr. Mike." Sully put Colleen down and started outside with Michaela. She followed him to the barn, and Wolf got up to follow as well. Michaela looked at the animal apprehensively, and Sully noticed the look in her eyes.

"Don't worry. He ain't gonna hurt ya. He won't bite unless I tell 'im to. He'd never hurt a lady."

"Good. I'll keep that in mind," Michaela said with a relieved smile.

She watched in silence as Sully hitched the wagon, and she wondered if she was actually going to have to know how to do that. It didn't look like the easiest thing in the world to do, but perhaps she'd get used to it anyway.

"I don't mean to speak out of line, but I think it looks like you're doing a great job with those children. Considering what they've been through, it looks like they're dealing with it well," Michaela commented as Sully made sure everything on the wagon was secure. He led the horses outside and helped Michaela up into the seat and handed her the reins.

"I'm doin' the best I can, and it ain't always easy, but I love 'em like they were my own."

"I think the feeling is mutual for them," she commented.

"Don't be scared." Michaela was caught off guard.

"What!"

"Of the horses." Michaela felt foolish when she realized that Sully was actually talking about her first experience with a wagon and horses. For some strange reason, she'd thought that perhaps he was referring to the attraction she had felt from the moment she saw him. But how could he possibly know that? He couldn't! She assumed he never would, and for now, that's all she could assume.

"Oh. Well, thank you, Mr. Sully." Michaela was able to get the horses moving, and as she looked back, she saw Colleen and Matthew running out to grill their father for information about this new lady doctor. Colleen looked up and waved at Michaela, and the young doctor waved back. Yes, living out West, she decided, could possibly turn out better than she'd originally thought.


	2. Chapter Two

**Chapter Two**

The door to the new clinic was wide open as Michaela swept out the dirt and dust that had collected upon the floors. She'd already cleaned up all of the furniture, and after having explored the fully furnished rooms upstairs, she realized that all she really needed to do was send for the medical supplies she'd left in Boston and order a desk and an examination table.

Overall, she was happy with her clinic, and she couldn't wait to have everything fixed up. The first thing she needed to do was get the boards off of the windows. Reverend Johnson hadn't had time to do that himself, so he was sending Robert E. over to help out later on.

Michaela had been quite pleased with herself when she made it back to town on her own, and a part of her couldn't wait to get back to the Sully homestead for dinner that evening. He had three beautiful and happy children, and he was quite interesting to talk to. She could already tell that they were going to be friends, though she'd never really had a friend of the opposite sex before. She didn't know him well at all, but something made her feel as if she could trust him. His children obviously loved him very much, and though he wasn't even their real father, they had certainly made a cozy home for themselves.

"Hi Dr. Mike!" Colleen exclaimed, rushing into the clinic. Michaela turned with surprise to see Sully's daughter.

"Colleen! What are you doing here?"

"Pa said to tell ya that Brian's all better now."

"That's wonderful! But, how did you get into town?"

"Abby's watchin' us," she explained.

"Who's Abby?"

"That's me," came a soft voice from the doorway. Michaela looked up to see a very pretty young woman with hair as black as the night standing in the doorway with little Brian in her arms.

"Me and Matthew only get to call her Abby," Colleen pointed out. "'Course her Pa does too." Michaela smiled.

"I'm Dr. Quinn," Michaela said, walking over to shake the young woman's hand. As she stepped closer, she could see that the girl couldn't have been more than sixteen.

"Abagail Bray," the girl responded. "Since everything happened with their ma, I try to take the kids out for picnics when I can. So after school, I went by to pick 'em up. Sully told me that you're going for supper tonight. He asked me if the kids could spend the night with me, my ma and my pa." Michaela couldn't help but sense a hint of jealousy in Abagail's voice as she talked about the dinner invitation that Sully had offered to the new doctor. This obviously went unnoticed to the children, and Michaela decided not to dwell on it.

"He did?" Michaela asked. Suddenly, she felt very uneasy.

"'Cept for me," Colleen explained. "He promised I could stay for dinner 'cause I wanna know more about bein' a lady doctor." Michaela breathed a sigh of relief knowing that she wouldn't be all alone with the ruggedly handsome stranger.

"Well, c'mon kids. We best get goin' if we want Grace's fried chicken to still be hot."

"Yeah. C'mon, Colleen," Matthew whined.

"I'm comin'!" the girl exclaimed.

"The kids say everybody's callin' ya Dr. Mike. Ya don't mind them callin' ya a boy's name?" Abagail asked.

"Not at all. Mike is short for Michael, and I'm Michaela. My father calls me Mike from time to time as well." She smiled warmly, but Abagail seemed irritated that Michaela didn't respond negatively or seem upset by her question. The young doctor wondered if Abagail seemed threatened by her, but she couldn't think of any reason for her to feel such a way.

"I ain't hungry," Colleen blurted out.

"What?" Abagail wondered. "I ain't never heard you say 'no' to Grace's chicken before."

"I wanna stay and help Dr. Mike," Colleen insisted. Abagail glanced at Michaela, and a small smile appeared.

"If it's alright with Dr. Mike." Colleen looked up at Michaela with big, pleading eyes. How could she resist?

"Well, if you'd like to help me, I was going to go straighten up the rooms upstairs."

"I know my way around! I used to live here before we moved in with Pa. Our ma ran the boardin' house." Michaela's eyes went wide. Charlotte Cooper ran this place.

"Charlotte was your mother?"

"Yep," Matthew replied. "I bet she'd like you livin' here. You're real nice."

"Well, are you sure you're alright with my staying here?" Michaela asked, not wanting to make the children feel sad about their mother and the fact that she now owned the place where they used to live and share happy memories with Charlotte.

"Sure," Matthew replied. "Our ma always said that bein' angry about dyin' ain't gonna fix nothin'. She even said it 'fore she died."

"Matthew," Colleen muttered under her breath. "Don't." Michaela witnessed the glance between the brother and sister, and she realized that little Colleen was still taking this all very hard. She was sure that Matthew was still upset, but he was obviously learning to cope a lot better, and with being a little older than Colleen, that was understandable. He had gotten seven good years with his mother, while Colleen had only gotten four. It had to be difficult! Michaela had never lost a parent, but she had seen what losing one or both parents did to a child, and these poor children were left without anyone except for Sully. Poor little Brian would never remember his mother, but the older children would remember her, and her death would forever be in their memories.

Michaela sensed that she should say something else before Colleen became upset.

"Well, Colleen, if you'd like to stay, I'd be more than happy to have your help." Colleen's face brightened.

"Okay!"

"Matthew, do you still want to go on the picnic?" Abagail wondered.

"Are you kiddin'? I wouldn't miss Grace's cookin' for nothin'!" Abagail grinned and shifted Brian in her arms. She looked back up at Michaela with a more friendly smile upon her face.

"Nice to meet ya, Dr. Mike," the girl said quietly. "Come on, Matthew." She took his hand.

"Nice to meet you," Michaela called after her. "Don't worry. I'll see that Colleen gets home to Sully safely." Abagail shut the door as she left, and Michaela looked down at Colleen.

"That's Mr. Bray's daughter."

"Who's Mr. Bray?"

"He runs the mercantile down the street. He's got lots of candy, and Matthew always eats too much." The little girl giggled. "But, Abagail helps Pa by watchin' us when he wants to go out to the reservation to see Cloud Dancin'. He didn't wanna leave Brian, but we told him that he should go now so he'd be back in time for supper." Michaela smiled at the little girl's honesty. "Pa trusts her, and he pays her a quarter every time she takes us to a picnic. Her pa wants her to save the money she gets, 'cause he's plannin' to send her off to college so she can be a teacher."

"A teacher?" Michaela wondered.

"Yep. Abagail don't wanna go, but he thinks it'll be good for her." Colleen shrugged. "She says she wants to stay here when she gets married." Colleen crooked her finger and motioned for Michaela to come closer. Michaela knelt down beside her, and the little girl grinned, showing that her two front teeth her missing. "I heard Mr. Bray say that she needs to meet boys her own age, and none of the boys 'round here are good enough for her." Michaela chuckled. Every father seemed to think that of the boys their daughters were courted by.

"Colleen, I'm going to run upstairs for a moment to find another cleaning cloth. You can help me finish up down here before we start on the rooms upstairs. Will you be alright by yourself?"

"Yep," Colleen answered with a smile. Michaela started up the stairs, and Colleen noticed the medical bag out of the corner of her eye.

As Michaela rummaged through a drawer upstairs, she found herself thinking about those looks that Abagail had given her. She seemed to like her, but something in her eyes cast a jealous disposition about her. Michaela had seen that look many times in medical school when she received all of the best grades, and the other girls struggled to get an 'A'.

"Owwwwwww!" Colleen shrieked from downstairs. Michaela dropped everything and rushed down the stairs, being careful to lift her skirt a bit so she wouldn't trip. When she burst through the door, she found Colleen standing in the middle of the floor with one hand gripped tightly around a finger on her other hand. A scalpel was lying on the floor beside her foot. Tears were streaming down the little girl's face, and Michaela's heart began to beat so fast, thinking something serious might have happened.

"Let me see. Let me see," Michaela soothed, sitting down on the floor and bringing the little girl into her lap. Colleen sniffled and let her sobs taper off as Michaela brought her medical bag down onto the floor beside her.

"It hurts," she whimpered.

"I know," Michaela replied gently, carefully prying the girl's hand away so she could see the wound. "Oh, it's not bad at all. It's just a little cut."

"Will ya have to do surgery?" Michaela shook her head and giggled.

"Heavens no!" she replied. "All I need to do is cleanse it and wrap it in a bandage. It should be healed in a few days."

"Really? That's it?" Colleen asked, amazed at how smart this lady was.

"That's it," Michaela replied. "Come here." She stood and put Colleen down. She led the girl to sit down in a chair, and began to look through her medical bag to find the supplies she needed. Before too long, she had the cut cleansed and wrapped up. "Better?" Colleen thought for a moment.

"Still kinda hurts." Michaela frowned a little. An idea popped into her mind. She picked up Colleen's hand and kissed the bandaged finger.

"Now?" Colleen's eyes widened.

"Hey! The pain's gone! How'd you do that?"

"Well, I am a doctor," Michaela pointed out with a wink. She moved to take the scalpel to clean, and Colleen tugged on her skirt.

"Am I in trouble?"

"Why would you be in trouble?"

"'Cause I went through your bag. I was just curious."

"You're not in trouble, Colleen," Michaela assured her. "In fact, I did the same thing when I was your age. My father always left his medical bag in the parlor of an evening, and I would sneak in to play doctor. I cut my finger just like you did, but it was my thumb, and it hurt for a long time, because I kept trying to fix it myself. Thankfully, my father was able to kiss it and make it better." Colleen smiled. "What you cut yourself on was a scalpel. It's very sharp, and it's used to perform surgeries on patients."

"Wow," Colleen breathed. "That's amazing." Michaela chuckled a bit and patted the little girl atop the head.

"Do you still feel like helping out, or would you rather catch up with Abagail and your brothers?"

"Nah. I wanna stay here with you." Just hearing those words warmed Michaela's heart, and she couldn't help but want to take the little girl into her arms and give her a big hug. Little Colleen Cooper had something special inside of her, and Michaela couldn't wait to get to know her and her family better.

* * *

"Wait out here with your brother," Abagail instructed Matthew as she placed Brian on the porch of the mercantile. Brian's little legs helped him to stand, but he had a curious look upon his face and wanted to get into everything. Matthew took his hand and held it firmly. In his other hand was the handle to the large picnic basket. As Abagail walked into the mercantile, Matthew shook his head and looked at his baby brother.

"How much does she think I can do at once? I'm only eight!"

"Hey Papa," Abagail said to her father as she walked past the counter that her father was dusting. Loren Bray was a man in his mid-fifties, and he had a soft heart when it came to his daughter. But, when it came to the boys at school that tried to court her, he would rather not have them around. He was still determined to send her to college, and though she didn't like it, he knew she'd thank him someday. "Where's Ma?"

"She's over at Grace's."

"Oh. I must've just missed her." Abagail shrugged. "You don't mind if the Cooper boys stay here tonight, do ya?"

"I s'pose not," Loren replied. "I don't mind 'em, and your ma spoils 'em, but I wish ya wouldn't watch 'em just 'cause you're sweet on Sully." Abagail shook her head

"I like spendin' time with 'em, Pa."

"And ya like spendin' time with Sully too. I'm tellin' ya, Abby, he's ten years older than you, and he ain't interested in ya like that." Abagail crossed her arms across her chest.

"Why can't ya just support me for once?"

"I've always supported ya! But, you're my little girl, and I ain't willin' to let ya get your heart broken! I'm tellin' ya that Sully ain't never gonna feel the same way 'bout you that you think you feel about him."

"I love him, Papa!"

"Love?" Loren asked. He shook his head. "Oh, Abby, when you go off to college, you'll meet a nice man who'll feel the way about you that you want Sully to feel now."

"I don't want nobody else, Papa. I ain't goin' to college."

"You've wanted to be a teacher all your life."

"Well, things change."

"Your ma and me have been savin' up for years to get ya to go to college, and when the time's right, you'll be goin', and that's the last I'm gonna say 'bout it right now."

"But Papa . . ."

"I'll tell ya what, Abby," Loren said, coming around from behind the counter.

"What?"

"If by some miracle Sully asks for your hand before ya go off to school in September, then ya don't have to go." Abagail's eyes went wide.

"You mean it?"

"Sure do," Loren replied, shaking his head and chuckling a little. "Ya got a month." Abagail grinned happily and threw her arms around her father before planting a big kiss on his cheek.

"Oh, thank you, Papa! You'll see I'm right! When he finds out for sure that I'm goin', he'll realize that he feels the same about me!" When she let go of her father, he had a skeptical look in his eyes but a smile on his face. "I've gotta get goin'. The boys are waitin'." She rushed out of the mercantile, and Loren was left shaking his head, knowing that his daughter's dreams of being Mrs. Abagail Sully would quickly be crushed. But, he also knew that she was already too much in love with the idea of being in love that she had to experience this for herself.

He had nothing against Sully, and in fact, the young man had been nothing but helpful to him when he needed an extra hand. Sully was involved with the Cheyenne, with Loren could do without, but overall, he was a respectable man.

* * *

Robert E. was already working away at the windows on the clinic, and Michaela told him that as payment, she would give him a free treatment for his lumbago. She knew that the citizens of this town weren't wealthy, and if she was going to fit in, she couldn't exactly charge them money they didn't have. But, she also knew that whatever her future patients could give her as payment would work just fine. She didn't need much, just enough to keep food on her table and a roof over her head.

"Hi Mr. Bray!" Colleen exclaimed as she hurried into the mercantile. Loren had a soft spot for the Cooper children as well, and he couldn't help but feel like a grandpa when they were around. At the rate Abagail was going, he might never have a grandchild if she couldn't set her sights on someone other than Sully.

"Well good afternoon young lady. What can I do for ya?"

"Dr. Mike needs some things for the new clinic," she explained. Michaela walked in looking over a list she'd made. Loren noticed how kind looking the woman was, and he could already tell that Colleen adored her. "She's all the way from Boston! That's over on the other side of the country near the ocean!"

"Is it now?" Loren asked, crossing his arms. He'd heard about the lady doctor from Grace and the Reverend.

"You must be Mr. Bray," Michaela concluded.

"That's right. Dr. Mike, is it?"

"Apparently so," Michaela replied. "Dr. Michaela Quinn."

"Well, what can I do for ya?"

"I need to buy some supplies for my clinic."

"Medicines?"  
"Well, no. I'm having those sent with the rest of my necessities from Boston. I have a list." Loren took the list from her hand and checked it over.

"I can get all of that for ya," he replied. "I s'pose you'll wanna set up an account."

"Account?"

"Well, most folks 'round here don't have money up front when they come to pay for things, so I just credit it to them on account. They'll pay me back eventually." Michaela figured that might be a nice idea.

"Well, I think that would be a wise thing to do."

"I'll get started on that account for ya. No need to pay me for this stuff now," he explained as she began to dig into her money pouch. Colleen looked a little surprised. She tugged on Michaela's skirt again, and Michaela bent down. She whispered into the doctor's ear.

"He never tells people they don't gotta pay him when they're new! He must like ya!" Michaela giggled a little and stood up straight. He eyed her and the little girl.

"You're a doctor, eh?"

"That's right."

"Well, I ain't one that thinks goin' to a lady doctor would be smart, but I gotta say that I'd take my chances with you over Jake lately. Ya hear what happened?"

"I heard that four people died."

"Yeah," Loren said, shaking his head. "'Tween you and me, Jake's my friend and all, but I ain't willin' to risk dyin' just to get a couple stitches or a shave."

"Well, I'm planning on introducing myself to Mr. Slicker later."

"Well, he's on a binge right now, but I'm sure he'll be comin' 'round soon enough." He looked toward Colleen. "Why ain't ya with your brothers and Abagail?"

"I wanted to stay and help out Dr. Mike," Colleen explained.

"I met your daughter," Michaela said with a glance at the storekeeper. "She's a very nice girl."

"Sure is," Loren said, shaking his head. "But, daughters can be a handful."

"My father and mother would agree. They have four daughters." Loren chuckled. "I suppose Abagail is of age to go to college."

"Yep. She's s'pose to be goin' next month, but she ain't too happy 'bout it. She's gonna be a teacher, and it's been her dream ever since she could talk, but these days she ain't so focused on school work." He cleared his throat, knowing that this wasn't the kind of discussion that should be held with children around.

"College can be a difficult time for many people. Abagail seems to be a bright young girl. I'm sure she'll be just fine."

"Well, you went off to some fancy medical school," he said grumpily, putting a chilly front over the warm exterior he had presented. "Don't think most folks are gonna be comin' to ya right away. Ya never know. A real doctor may be comin' 'round soon enough."

"I am a real doctor." Michaela put her hand son her hips, but decided that saying anything else wouldn't help her gain respect in the community just yet. No. She needed to keep a low profile for a little while and observe the characteristics of the townsfolk. She knew that Mr. Bray wasn't as grumpy as he was now acting. He had been kind to her when she came in, and though he made it clear that he didn't believe that women should be doctors, she knew that he was one of those who would eventually come around. It would just take some time.

Loren collected everything on Michaela's list, and though he told her she didn't need to pay him right away, she did, and as he and Colleen started back toward the clinic, she felt the eyes of a very curious stranger looking at her. She turned to look at a man with long blonde hair sitting in a chair on the porch of a saloon. He smiled at her before taking a puff on her cigar. She only nodded in his direction, not wanting to be impolite, and continued with Sully's daughter toward the clinic.

* * *

As the sun began to settle in the sky, Sully sat on the porch, waiting for Michaela to arrive with Colleen at the homestead. Supper was finished, and he hoped that she would enjoy it. He already felt a deep attraction to her, and he was very thankful that she had helped him with Brian.

During his meeting with Cloud Dancing, the Medicine Man had explained how his white brother seemed to be happier, and Sully had shrugged it off, excusing his pleasant mood as the result of Brian's recovery. He had talked to Cloud Dancing about the new lady doctor, and the man seemed interested in meeting her.

Now that he was home and supper was on the table, all that was left to complete the evening was his little girl and their guest of honor. He swore that the sweet scent of the soap she used to wash her perfect skin still lingered in the air from earlier. He could still picture the way she looked when he first saw her. She had been apprehensive and concerned at the same time. Her eyes had been full of compassion and beauty.

Wait! What was he doing? He couldn't be thinking these things about a woman he'd just met, could he? He'd never been in love before, and it couldn't be happening now. He had so much to deal with at the moment. He was struggling to keep a steady income, and he was raising three very young children. How could he think about romance? But, with the thought already in his mind, her beautiful face seemed to color his thoughts.

The sound of the wagon approaching brought Sully out of his thoughts. He saw Michaela's beautiful hair shining in the setting sun as the wagon rounded the bend. He stood quickly, and he was about to make a mad dash inside as to not to seem too eager by waiting outside, but he figured he'd look even more foolish by doing that.

"Hi Pa!" Colleen exclaimed happily as Michaela brought the wagon to a halt. Sully was impressed with how quickly Michaela was learning how to keep control of the horses that were pulling the wagon.

"Hey!" Sully replied, helping his five-year-old out of the wagon. He noticed the bandage on her finger. "What happened?"

"Oh, nothin'," she replied. "Just a little cut. Dr. Mike took real good care of it." Sully smiled.

"Alright," Sully said with a smile. "Why don't ya run inside and get your hands washed?"

"Okay." Colleen rushed inside, and Sully held his hand out. Michaela took it nervously, and he helped her out of the wagon. Once her feet were planted on the ground, his hand lingered on her waist for a moment before he realized what he was doing. As his hands drew away, Michaela grabbed her medical bag so she would remember to take it home with her that night. Home. The clinic was her home, and even though it wasn't really a house, she would do whatever she could to make it able to bear the name 'home.' After all, home was supposed to be wherever the heart was.

"Supper's ready," he announced. Michaela smiled and took the lead into the house. When she stepped inside, she was amazed to see a baked chicken in the center of the table, and a few bowls of different vegetables.

"It looks delicious," she said with a smile.

"Thanks." Sully pulled out a chair for his guest, and she took a seat. He took the seat across from hers, and Colleen came to the table with freshly washed hands.

As Sully served the meal, he couldn't help but notice the look in Michaela's eyes.

"What?"

"Oh, nothing. It's just that I didn't expect you to be able to cook." She realized how bad that sounded when Sully let out a chuckle. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean that to sound the way it did."

"Don't worry 'bout it. I ain't the best cook, but I've been cookin' for the past sixteen years." Michaela raised an eyebrow. "I came out west when I was ten, so I had to learn how to cook if I was gonna survive."

"You've been on your own since you were ten?" Michaela was impressed and amazed at the same time. Sully nodded.

"That's right." Michaela could hardly believe her ears. Even though this man had grown up most of his life without parents, he seemed to be kind-hearted and concerned more about others than himself. He had taken in three children when they needed him the most, and apparently, fatherhood suited him well.

"Pa's a good cook," Colleen promised. As supper began, Michaela discovered that Sully was indeed quite a good cook! She didn't want to admit that she didn't know a thing about cooking . . . except that she couldn't even put something as simple as scrambled eggs together.

Supper consisted of pretty much small talk between Michaela and Sully, and Colleen did most of the talking during the larger conversations. She talked about how she and Matthew had stayed home from school that day so their Pa wouldn't have to stay home alone with Brian and worry about him. Sully insisted that he wanted the children to go, but he couldn't exactly get the wagon hitched and take them into town with a screaming infant needing his attention. Plus, he didn't want them walking all that way by themselves at such young ages.

Yes, Michaela was correct in assuming that Sully was a caring, loving and concerned father. She could see it in the way he smiled and played with Colleen, and she could see it in the way he talked about the kids. He was so proud of them, and that warmed the young doctor's heart. He could have easily said no to taking Charlotte Cooper's children, but he had stepped in with nothing to offer them but what he had in his heart, and he had made a home for them.

When supper was over, Colleen went straight to her bed to rest, knowing that she'd have to be woken up when it was time to take Michaela back into town. Sully was convinced that she had worn herself out talking so much and that she never talked so much when company was around. Michaela offered to help with washing the dirty dishes, but Sully insisted that she go outside for a breath of fresh mountain air. He would join her after he was finished cleaning up.

As she sat outside, the stars seemed to shine brighter than usual. The sky was clear, and there was a cool breeze flowing past her. The coyotes howled in the distance, sending nervous shivers up and down her spine. When she heard footsteps behind her, she looked over her shoulder to see Sully coming outside with a blanket in his hands.

"It can get real chilly in the evenin'," he explained, gently draping the blanket over her shoulders. He sat down at her side, and she looked at him with curiosity in her eyes. How could he look so rugged-looking but be so sweet? Perhaps that was one of the things she found most attractive about him.

"Thank you," she whispered softly. As his eyes stared into hers, she felt her heart beating a mile a minute. She looked away, and he knew that she was feeling uncomfortable. He didn't blame her. They'd just met that day, and he was already being so kind and welcoming. What else could she be thinking? She probably thought he was starting to seem like just another man trying to woo a woman over by acting sweet an innocent "Perhaps I should be getting back into town. I really should get some reading done before I go to sleep." Sully nodded, swallowing hard.

"Sure. I'll go hitch the wagon." He stood and walked to the barn, feeling like an idiot. Sure, he was attracted to her, but she was completely different from him. She grew up in Boston, and he grew up nowhere. He only had a place in life, because he'd had help from Charlotte and from the Cheyenne. If it hadn't been for them, he would probably still be a miner with no path in life. He had a path now, and that path was to raise up Charlotte's kids in a way that she would be proud of. He couldn't let her down.

Besides, how could he expect to feel anything but attraction to Michaela? She was a beautiful woman, and he figured that most men probably found her attractive. It wasn't everyday that a beautiful woman dressed up in clothes that the women in Colorado Springs could only dream of having showed up. His head told him that those feelings would subside, and they would merely be friends. But, his heart told him something else. He decided it would be best to listen to his head for now.

Michaela made her way into the homestead to fold up the blanket and place it upon Sully's bed. She heard him working out in the barn, and she could still picture his eyes staring down into hers. She shrugged off the warm feelings, deciding that the only reason she was being drawn to him was because he was one of the most hospitable people she'd met so far. But, she'd only been there less than a day, and those warm thoughts and feelings would subside in a few days. Wouldn't they? Of course they would, she thought.

"Ready, Dr. Mike?" Sully asked, stepping into the homestead? Michaela merely nodded and walked outside. She climbed up into the wagon and waited for Sully to come outside with his sleeping daughter. This was sure to be a very quite ride back into town.


	3. Chapter Three

**Chapter Three**

Colleen slept in the back of the wagon as Michaela and Sully sat side by side in the driver's seat. Neither one of them could speak, because they were too focused on thinking about what they should say to break the silence. Finally, Michaela came up with something to talk about.

"I met Abagail Bray today," she spoke up. "As well as her father Loren."

"I figured you'd meet Abagail, seein' as Colleen was with her." Michaela nodded.

"She's a very nice girl," she commented. The tone of her voice seemed strange to Sully.

"But?"

"How did you know there was a 'but?'"

"I could hear it in the tone of your voice," he pointed out. "Somethin' sounded different." Michaela nodded. "What is it?"

"I don't know, exactly. I'm sure I'm being paranoid, but for some reason I think she felt . . ."

"Felt what?" Michaela shook her head, wanting to drop the subject completely.

"Oh nothing," she replied with a sigh. "I think she just didn't know whether or not she could trust me with Colleen."

"Well, that ain't her call to make, is it?" Michaela smiled a little, relaxing during the quiet journey into town.

"Mr. Sully?"

"Please. It's just Sully," Sully replied quickly. Michaela nodded.

"Sully," she started over. "May I ask you a question?"

"Depends on the question." Michaela watched him, and as he stared at the dark road ahead, a smile crept over his lips. She liked the fact that he had a sense of humor. "'Course. I don't really have no secrets to hide. None that you oughta worry 'bout anyway." Michaela relaxed even more. "What were ya wantin' to ask me?"

"It's rather silly," she pointed out.

"I doubt that."

"Why?"

"Ya don't look like the kinda woman who'd have a lot of silly questions."

"Really? Well, what kind of woman do I look like?" She immediately and silently scolded herself for asking such a bold question. But, Michaela wasn't one to hear a comment such as that and leave it alone. She was curious! The question didn't seem to be out of the ordinary for Sully, however. He smiled again and thought for a moment.

He wasn't sure what to say, because he knew for a fact what he thought of her, but he didn't want to seem to forward or judgmental. But then again, he felt like Michaela would know if he was holding back.

"Well?"

"Well," Sully began. He swallowed hard, trying to find the words to say. "Well, you look like the kind of woman who's got a lot of opinions about everything." Michaela listened as they rode along, and she crossed her arms against her chest. "Ya look like you'd rather earn somethin' than have it handed to ya on a silver platter. Let me guess. Ya offered to pay back the Reverend 'cause ya didn't feel right 'bout takin' the clinic as a gift." Michaela said nothing, but she blinked from surprise and looked straight ahead. "Am I right?"

"I'm impressed," she admitted.

"And," he continued, "ya don't look like someone who asks silly questions. Ya look like ya ask a question if there's one that needs to be asked. But, ya also seem like you'd ask a question if ya really want to know about it. Seems like ya might try to make other folks' business yours too. Does that make sense?" Michaela nodded thoughtfully. Somehow she knew he wasn't being rude by saying that. How had he understood her when they'd known each other for less than a day? Oh, there were so many things she figured he'd never know about her, but realizing that he could tell so much by just looking at her made her uneasy. He was very good at reading people.

"It makes sense," she replied quietly, swallowing hard.

"Didn't mean to offend ya."

"You didn't." She paused for a moment and chuckled a little. "My father always tells me that I poke my nose where it doesn't belong. I can't help it. I hate being left out of conversations, and I hate not being able to help people. If there is a situation I think I can do some good in, I want to at least try."

"Ain't nothin' wrong with that," Sully replied. "It's just that some folks can be real private even if they need the help." There was silence again for a few minutes, and Sully finally spoke up again. "The way you talk about him sounds like ya have a good relationship with him."

"Who?"

"Your Pa."

"Oh," Michaela said, nodding her head. "Yes. My father and I have always been close. My sisters were always closest with my mother, so perhaps that's why I always felt like an only child." She glanced at Sully. "Were you an only child?" He hesitated for a moment, and it became clear that his past wasn't something he really liked talking about. But nevertheless, he spoke up.

"Yep. I don't really remember my folks that much, but I do know I didn't have any brothers or sisters. I didn't 'til the Cheyenne took me in when I couldn't make it on my own anymore. Cloud Dancin' and me . . . we're brothers."

"You must love him very much." Sully said nothing, but he glanced at her, feeling like she understood him. The next few minutes were silent, but it wasn't an awkward silence. Both parties were thinking about how good it felt to have someone around that seemed to understand them. Michaela felt like she could say absolutely anything for the first time in her life and not have every word that came out of her mouth be scrutinized by one person or another. Growing up in Boston had always made her feel confined and claustrophobic. She felt like even breathing the wrong way in the presence of her mother would earn her a scolding look. Yes, her mother loved her, but she was so very proper and wanted her children to be that way as well. Michaela grew up to be quite a proper young woman, but sometimes she wished that she could run to the top of a mountain and scream out all of her frustrations at the top of her lungs. It was as if everything was under pressure inside of her and was begging to be let out. Being in Colorado Springs and away from all of the criticizing eyes in Boston seemed to be a huge relief.

But, all of those manners she'd learned so long ago were deeply integrated into her thoughts and mind, and she knew that she would probably come off as a bit of a prude to many people, but she couldn't help the way she was raised. She only hoped that she wouldn't be too intimidating to the citizens of Colorado Springs.

"What do ya think of it?" Sully asked after several long minutes. The only sound they'd been hearing was the creaking of the wagon, the spinning of the wheels, and the clopping of the horse hooves on the firm Colorado soil. Sully couldn't stand the silence any longer. He needed to have a conversation and keep his mind off of the thoughts he was having. He couldn't help but think about what it might feel like to hold her or to feel her skin against his. He knew he could never express these wonderings verbally, but even having them in the secret corners of his mind made him feel a little bit like a child being caught doing something he wasn't supposed to be doing.

"Colorado?"

"Hmm."

"It's beautiful," she whispered, looking up at the dark sky. "Everything is so peaceful here."

"Oh, this is just your first day."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sully chuckled a little.

"I'm just sayin' that it ain't always gonna be peaceful. Ya got soldiers comin' in and out all the time tryin' to keep order between the white folks and the Cheyenne." Michaela shook her head.

"I don't understand it. They were here long before any of us were."

"Guess that's the good that comes with progress," Sully pointed out. Michaela was a bit taken aback by this comment.

"Not all progress is bad, Sully. Progress can mean new vaccinations and cures for diseases that were once deadly. It can mean more education for children, and it can even quite possibility mean an entirely new society."

"And that's a good thing? Ya actually think the Cheyenne wanna become like everybody else, Dr. Mike? They're strugglin' hard enough as it is to keep their traditions alive with all this new progress. It ain't fair to 'em."

"I agree," she said quietly. "I just don't believe that ruling out all forms of progress is necessary or even possible." Sully was silent again, and Michaela feared that she had said something to upset him. But, in all fairness, she was only speaking her opinion, something she did quite frequently. If they were going to be friends, he was going to have to get used to it, and he knew it.

The wind began to pick up, and Michaela shivered. Sully felt her trembling beside him, and he stopped the wagon.

"What are you doing?" She hadn't meant for that to come off as paranoia. He didn't say anything, but he pulled his buckskin coat off and wrapped it around her shoulders. She could smell his scent on the coat, and she couldn't help but wonder if this was as close she'd ever get to having his arms around her.

"You're cold." Michaela smiled a little and simply nodded. Just as Sully was about to take control of the reigns, Colleen sat up in the back of the wagon and let out a shrill whimper.

"No!" she screamed. Sully was about to go back and comfort her, but the horses whinnied, threatening to continue on in a moment's notice. Michaela slipped her arms through Sully's coat and pulled it around herself tightly.

"I'll sit with her," she whispered. Sully glanced back at his little girl who was trembling with fright, and he nodded to Michaela. Once the young woman was in the back of the wagon with Colleen in her arms, Sully continued on toward town. Colleen dried her eyes and looked up at Michaela.

"Don't worry, Colleen," she whispered. "It was all a dream. You're safe now." Colleen looked around, and she saw her father in the driver's seat of the wagon.

"I dreamt that Papa had to go away," she cried. Sully swallowed hard and shook his head.

"I ain't gonna go nowhere. I'll always be here for ya when ya need me." He stopped the horses, and once he was sure they were calmed, he crawled into the back of the wagon to sit beside Michaela. He watched as she rocked the shaking girl.

"Don't go away, Pa," she whispered.

"I won't, Colleen. I ain't goin' nowhere." He reached out to stroke his little girl's cheek, and she closed her eyes. As she began to relax, Michaela began to hum a sweet lullaby. Sully watched her in amazement as she closed her eyes and rested her cheek against the top of Colleen's head. Her hand stroked the child's back and smoothed her hair. Her gentleness and caring shined through at that very moment, even on this dark night. It was at that moment that Sully realized he was falling in love.

Michaela opened her eyes and found Sully staring at her with a sweet look in his eyes. She smiled at him, and looked down at Colleen.

"I think she's sleeping," she whispered. Sully nodded.

"You're right. She goes right to sleep if somebody holds her after a bad dream. I'm afraid I ain't so good at singin' lullabies though." Michaela giggled a little, and Sully took Colleen out of Michaela's arms and lay her back down in the wagon. He helped Michaela back up into the front, and they continued on toward town once more.

They arrived about twenty minutes later, and Sully walked Michaela up to the door of the clinic.

"It's gonna be dark as a cave in there, so I'll walk ya in and make sure ya find the lamp." Michaela smiled, blushing a little in the darkness.

"Thank you, Sully, but I think I can manage."

"Hey, it's the least I can do. Ya helped me with Colleen, and ya took care of Brian."

"Hey, you said that supper was a 'thank you' for Brian."

"Well, this is a 'thank you' for Colleen then." He cleared his throat. "'Sides, I don't think it'd be a good thing if the new doctor broke her neck trippin' over a chair on her first night in town, do you?" Michaela had to admit that he had a point! She unlocked the clinic door, and they stepped inside. The room no longer had the smell of dust and dirt from sitting empty for so long. Now it carried the sweet smell of Michaela's soaps and perfumes. The smell was almost intoxicating to Sully, and as Michaela felt around the dark room for matches, he busied himself by gathering the nearest oil lamp into his hands.

"I found the matches." She shook the box. "The box is empty."

"I found the lamp," Sully replied. "Now, stay there, and I'll find you." Michaela heard his footsteps coming closer, and she swallowed hard as chills went up and down her spine. She felt his shoulder bump into hers. "There ya are." Michaela couldn't manage much more than a grunt of recognition. "You're tellin' me ya don't have any matches?"

"Apparently so," she replied. "I meant to pick some up at the mercantile today, but I suppose I forgot to write them on the list I gave to Mr. Bray."

"Hold on. Let me see if I have any in the wagon." Sully disappeared out the door, and when Michaela's eyes had adjusted, she made her way over to the window and watched as Sully carefully poked around in the back of the wagon, trying to avoid waking his sleeping daughter. She smiled as he moved her arm to the side ever so gently. He seemed happy when he pulled a box of matches out from underneath a pile of blankets.

Michaela made her way back over to the table as Sully re-entered the clinic. Soon, the clinic was brightened by the light of a single oil lamp.

"There ya go."

"Thank you," Michaela said gratefully. "It's getting late, and I'm rather tired."

"I bet," Sully replied, emptying out half of the box of matches into his hand and placing the half-full box on the table beside the lamp. He stuck the loose matches into a pocket and folded his arms across his chest. "I'm comin' into town early tomorrow to pick up the boys and take Matthew and Colleen to school. If ya want, I can come by and help ya fix the clinic up." Michaela thought for a moment, realizing that she'd love to have his help. But, she also knew it might be a good idea to have some time alone as well.

"That's a nice offer Sully, but I think I'm going to be rather busy all day."

"Well, just the more reason why I oughta help. Ya gotta be real tired after all that travellin'." How could she resist? He'd been so kind to her today, and he was offering to help. Perhaps while he was helping, she could meet new patients or even attempt a lesson in horse riding. She smiled a little.

"Alright. I usually wake early when I have a lot to do."

"Well, I'll stop by after I drop Matthew and Colleen off at school. That sound alright?"

"Sure. Thank you, Sully." Sully nodded.

"I best be getting home. See ya tomorrow." Michaela took Sully's coat off of herself and handed it to him.

"See you." Sully left, closing the door behind himself, and Michaela was engulfed in absolute silence. She looked around, realizing that she was alone for the first time since early that afternoon. She liked being alone, but somehow she found that spending time with Sully and his children was much better.

* * *

In the morning, Michaela woke just before the sun was up. The sky was a hazy dark blue, and that gloom was cast all throughout the clinic. She pulled herself out of one of the small beds, realizing that she'd rather be sleeping on the comfortable mattresses that she had in her room in Boston. However, waking up to a quiet little town in the morning was much better than a busy, bustling city with horses and carriages clamoring about at all hours of the morning.

She could hear a few horses, but she figured those were just the folks passing through town on their ways to their jobs. She realized that Sully would be coming to help her in an hour or so, so she decided it would be best to get cleaned up and dressed.

After she'd washed up, she went through her things, laying them out and separating them so she could put them into different drawers. She couldn't wait to have a real home of her own, but for now, until she was settled into life in Colorado Springs, she would do just fine living above the clinic.

She smiled as she pulled a beautiful blue dress out of her case. She hadn't worn that dress in two years, but she had worn it to a ball in honor of her father's birthday. She had had several offers to dance that evening, but the only person she really enjoyed dancing with was her father. He was the only one who wasn't looking for a kiss or something more. He was the man who helped give her life. He was her mentor.

To be brutally honest, she had never been interested in any of the young men in Boston. Her mother was deathly afraid that her youngest daughter would die an old maid, but Michaela didn't find romance and marriage to be at the top of her list now. She had a practice to run and a life as an independent woman in the West to think about. She had no time for fancy balls or suitors who did nothing but stare everywhere but into her eyes.

Then there was Sully. He'd been the only man she'd met in a long time that seemed to be interested in talking with and getting to know her. When he stared into her eyes, she felt connected to him. She barely knew him, but that connection had to be something special if she had felt it right away. She knew she'd told herself that she couldn't be feeling anything real for him considering the fact that they'd just met. But even as she slept the night before, she couldn't help but think about how amazing he was with his children and how caring he'd been with her. She hadn't even thought about her feelings or what feelings she secretly hoped he had for her. No. Those thoughts centered around how nice it was to find someone that was interesting to talk to and was interested in talking back.

Finishing getting ready and putting her clothes and undergarments away seemed to take longer than usual as thoughts filled her head. All kinds of thoughts were dancing on the edges of her mind, and she only wished that she could reach out and grasp one instead of becoming dizzy trying to follow them all at once. One moment she would be thinking about Sully and his children, and the next, she'd be thinking about her practice and whether or not she'd be able to make it out on the frontier. All of that thinking was making her exhausted already, so as she sat down on the edge of her bed, she closed her eyes and waited for the knot in her stomach to go away.

It wasn't long before she was feeling better, and she went ahead and brushed her hair out. She put two small pins to either side of her head and held the hair out of her face but let it fall beautifully down her back and shoulders.

After Michaela had splashed some cold water on her face, she made her way down the stairs. The first thing she noticed was the box of matches Sully had left the night before. She smiled and found it amazing that the smallest thing could send her thoughts toward Sully. She'd never felt this way before, and she realized that she needed to convince herself that things were probably going to change and her feelings would as well. But that was going to be quite difficult seeing as Sully was going to be around quite a bit during the day. On her journey toward Colorado Springs, she never would have thought that her first day would have been spent getting to know one family and starting to fall for a handsome man who just happened to be a very caring, supportive single father.

She needed some fresh air. The sun was up now, and she figured that some fresh mountain air would do her good. So, she unlocked the door, threw it open, and let a gentle breeze greet her. That was better!

As she stepped out onto the porch, she noticed a few of the townsfolk like Mr. Bray opening up shop for the day. She glanced over at the barbershop and saw no sign of Mr. Jake Slicker. Loren had said he was on a binge, so all she could assume was that he was drinking himself silly. She hadn't seen him at all since she'd arrived in Colorado Springs, and she hadn't once seen any movement from inside the barbershop. She could only assume he lived there.

"Mornin' Dr. Mike," Abagail Bray said with a smile as she walked past.

"Good morning, Abagail. How are you this morning?"

"Just fine. On my way to school."

"Did Sully already pick up the boys?"

"Yep. He's takin' Matthew and Colleen to school now."

"Alright. Thank you."

"Why? Were ya expectin' him?" she asked, that jealous tone ringing in her voice again. This went unnoticed to Michaela at the time, because her eyes kept darting back to the barbershop.

"Yes," she said slowly. "He's coming over to help me move things around and get settled in here."

"Get settled in? How might he go 'bout doin' that?" Abagail wondered, crossing her arms across her chest.

"I have a lot of furniture and a lot of things that I sent ahead while I was in Boston, but obviously I arrived before the items I sent ahead did. I'm sure they'll be here today on the next stagecoach." Abagail bit her bottom lip.

"Stagecoach don't run again 'til Monday."

"What?"

"Sometimes it only comes in once a week." Michaela sighed heavily. "'Sides, you'll have to pick up any big things at the post in Soda Springs, 'cause the stagecoach can only carry so much. I can tell Robert E. for ya, and I'm sure he'd be willin' to go with ya to pick 'em up."

"Well, thank you for letting me know." Abagail nodded and started back on her way. Michaela decided that it was time to meet Mr. Slicker. Remembering the fact that Loren said he was on a binge, she returned briefly to the clinic to get her medical bag.

If Mr. Slicker was conscious, she needed to talk to him about his use of non-sterilized barbering and suturing equipment.

As she was walking across the street, she noticed that same long-haired fellow sitting outside of the saloon. In one hand was a cigar, and in the other was a bottle of something that she could only guess was whiskey.

She turned her attention back to the closed up barbershop and stepped up onto the porch. As she knocked on the door, the man stood from his chair but remained on the saloon porch.

"Best leave 'im alone," he said in a low, gravelly voice. Michaela turned back to him.

"I need to speak with the barber," she called across the street, realizing that she'd never yell across the street in Boston just to speak with someone. The proper thing to do would be to catch their attention and cross the street to speak. But, she wasn't in Boston anymore, and that was as plain as day.

Instead, the stranger at the saloon began to make his way across the street, walking with a swagger that she could only assume was a display to show his masculinity. She fought off the strong urge to roll her eyes, so she crossed her arms across her chest instead.

"Heard you're the new doc," he said, stepping up to stand in front of her. Michaela was surprised at his height and build. He was obviously a very strong man by the look of the muscles that showed under his rolled up sleeves.

"That's right," she answered, feeling uneasy and almost crowded by his presence. "Dr. Michaela Quinn." She didn't extend a hand, because he didn't exactly look like he'd be willing to accept and shake it.

"Hank Lawson," he replied, flicking his cigar to get rid of the excess ashes. He smiled slyly and blew out a stream of smoke that made Michaela want to turn her head so she wouldn't choke on the overpowering haze. But, she resisted the urge and stared straight into his eyes. He was an intimidating-looking man, and she knew right away that having him so close to her clinic was going to prove to be somewhat of a problem if she didn't assert her independence and boldness right away. "Looks like ya got a lot of adjustin' to do." She realized that he was looking at the beautiful golden chain and locket around her neck. Her hand moved to grasp the locket with caution. "Best lock that up safe at night. Lots of folks would do just 'bout anything to get their hands on somethin' like that. It'd be worth a lot of money, ya know." Michaela swallowed hard. It hadn't sounded like a threat, but she was still uneasy.

"I'll keep that in mind," she answered.

"Don't bother with Jake. I checked on 'im this mornin', and he's passed out. He'll be up 'round noon. Usually is anyway." She was surprised by Hank's words now. He really didn't look like the kind of many who'd take the time to go check on someone to see if they were alright. But then again, as she had learned by meeting Sully, appearances could be deceiving. However, she didn't get that kind and trusting feeling around Hank that she felt when she was with Sully. She knew that she was going to have to keep an eye out for Hank, and she wasn't quite sure of what to make of him.

"I'd feel better if I checked on him now."

"Well, he ain't gonna want a woman doctor pokin' 'round on him, so I guess if ya do it while he's knocked out, it won't matter much to him." Hank moved to find Jake's hidden key, and he unlocked the door. As Michaela was moving past him to walk in, she stopped, feeling his eyes on her, and she looked up.

"Excuse me." He laughed dryly and moved to let her pass.

"Up the stairs," he directed, following her into the shop. Michaela realized that she would feel better if Hank stayed downstairs. She turned to glance at him, and he realized that she didn't want him going up. "I'll make sure nobody comes in." She nodded her thanks to him and started up to find Jake. The stairs led up to a single room where Jake was passed out across his bed. She shook her head, knowing that he was lucky to not have drunk himself to death. She'd seen several cases of alcohol poisoning before, and by examining Jake, she realized that he was in fact only passed out. He was lucky, but if he continued on like this, she figured he'd drink himself into a very early grave.

When she returned down into the main part of the shop, Hank was standing out on the porch, finishing off the last of his whiskey.

"How is he, doc?"

"He's lucky he didn't poison himself," she replied sternly, walking out of the shop. Hank followed and locked the doors behind her. Michaela decided to go back to the clinic to wait for Sully, so without another word, she turned in that direction. Hank watched her and thought for a moment before clearing his throat and moving to catch up with her.

"Wait a minute, doc," he said quickly. Michaela turned to him, wondering what he could possibly have to say now.

"I figured Jake wouldn't really know much 'bout a problem one of my girls is havin'. Seein' as you're a lady, I figured you might."

"Problem?" Michaela asked. Hank nodded.

"She's awful sick, and she's been runnin' off customers 'cause of it. Mind takin' a look?" Michaela nodded, not exactly wanting to step foot into a saloon. She also didn't really like the way he spoke of his girls and their problems as if they were broken axels on wagon.

Hank led her into his so-called establishment and pointed her back to one of the girls' rooms. She knocked on the door, and she heard someone scrambling around and the sound of a squeaky bed.

"Just a minute, Hank," came the soft voice of a young woman.

"It's not Hank," Michaela replied. "I'm Dr. Quinn, and I'm here to see if I can help." The door opened a minute later, and a pretty young woman with dark brown hair stood there in what Michaela could only guess was a nightgown or part of one anyway.

"Come on in," she said with a nervous but friendly smile. Michaela stepped foot into the tiny room, taking note of the small quarters and the worse-for-wear bed that stood shakily in the corner.

"Hank said you had a female problem," Michaela said slowly. The girl merely nodded. "What's your name?"

"Cassandra," she replied with a smile. "Everybody calls me Casey though."

"Casey, how old are you?" Michaela wondered. The girl hesitated.

"Twenty," she replied slowly. Michaela knew that was a lie.

"I can't help you if you can't be honest with me, Casey." They moved to sit down upon the girl's bed, and Michaela took a deep breath, knowing that she was probably about as nervous as the young girl was.

"I told Hank I was twenty so he'd hire me. He didn't question it. He said he needed new girls, and that I was one of the prettiest he'd seen in Manitou." Michaela nodded in understanding. "Nobody would hire me, and I needed money to send to my family. My ma's got two babies at home, and my Pa died. Ma don't know I'm doin' this, but I send money to 'em every week to help out." Tears formed in the girl's eyes. "I'm only fifteen." Michaela's heart practically broke in two for this young girl, and she found herself hugging her as the girl fought off tears. "I don't got a contract with 'im, so I can leave if I want, but I gotta have that money!"

"Alright," Michaela whispered softly. "Let's take care of treatments before anything else." The girl nodded, relaxing a bit in the company of the young doctor. Michaela hoped that she'd be able to do something to help this Cassandra, but the first thing she knew she had to do as soon as the examination was over was talk to Hank.


	4. Chapter Four

**Chapter Four**

Michaela left Cassandra lying in her bed after the examination. The girl was healthy considering the predicament she was in. Michaela had to speak with Hank right away, and she didn't know what to expect from him when she told him the truth about Cassandra.

Hank was standing behind the bar with a fresh whiskey bottle in his hands. He looked up when he saw the lady doctor walking toward him.

"So how is she?"

"This isn't a good situation, Mr. Lawson," she replied quietly, walking up to the bar. Hank smirked.

"It's just Hank. Would ya like a drink, doc?"

"No thank you," Michaela replied coolly. "But I would like to talk about Cassandra."

"What about Casey? She ain't dyin' is she?" For once he had a concerned look in his eyes. But, that didn't last long when a smirk came over his face.

"No," Michaela replied, swallowing hard. "She's not on contract, and she can leave at any time, correct?"

"'Til she signs one. Why?"

"She's not twenty like she told you she was when you met her."

"I figured she wasn't. How old is she? Seventeen? Eighteen?"

"She's fifteen years old," Michaela replied. Hank's face turned a little white. He hadn't expected that!

"Ya gotta be kiddin' me! Fifteen?"

"Yes. Hank, I need you to understand that the only reason she decided to work for you was because she has a family that she sends money to. I can send her back to her family. She can find another way to make money."

"Ain't that up to her?"

"She doesn't want to work for you."

"I ain't heard her complainin' yet."

"Well, don't trouble yourself in worrying about losing customers," Michaela pointed out. "She won't be working for you anymore." Michaela was trying his patience, and he didn't like it when he felt challenged by anyone. Especially women.

"Like Hell she won't!" Hank spat. A noise from behind caused Hank to look back at Cassandra.

"She's right, Hank. I quit. Dr. Mike's gonna find me a real nice job, and I won't have to lie to my Ma anymore." Cassandra disappeared back toward her room, and Hank walked out from the counter to stare down at Michaela. She stared back at him with just as much intensity.

"Ya got a lot of nerve, doc. If I didn't hit ladies, I'd sure give you a good one right now."

"Well, then I suppose it's good for both of us that you're able to control your anger, Hank." She backed down and started toward Cassandra's room again to help her.

"Ya think you can just come in here and take away my girls? Ya got another thing comin'."

"She's not your property Hank, and she doesn't deserve to be treated that way. She's not your concern any longer." She turned back toward the rooms, and Hank grabbed her elbow. "Take your hands off of me!"

"Leave her alone, Hank," came a low, warning voice from the swinging saloon doors. Wolf came in alongside his master and bore his teeth to the bartender. Sully stood staring down Hank the entire time while little Brian slept on his shoulder.

"Why don't ya put the kid down, Sully, and we'll talk about this right now?" Hank suggested. "Or settle it like real men."

"No need for that. Just let go of the lady, and Wolf'll back down."

"I don't see no lady here." Michaela tugged her arm out of Hank's grasp and moved to the back room to find Cassandra.

"I'm warnin' ya Hank. If ya ever grab the lady like that again, you'll have me to answer to. And if ya get through me, he'll be here." He nodded toward Wolf. Hank was silent, digesting every word Sully had said.

As soon as Michaela and Cassandra reappeared, Sully escorted them out of the saloon with Wolf tagging along behind them.

"Thank you Sully," Michaela said quietly as they walked over to the clinic.

"Hank can be a nice guy when he wants to be. He ain't afraid to say what he thinks, but I don't think he'd ever try to hurt ya. I think he was just tryin' to scare ya, but that didn't give him no right to put his hands on ya the way he did."

"I'm fine," Michaela pointed out. "Cassandra, are you alright?' Cassandra nodded with tears in her eyes.

"I just wanna go home."

"Where do you live?"

"I live in Soda Springs, but I was in Manitou lookin' for work when Hank found me," she explained. Michaela nodded and understandingly rubbed the girl's back. She remembered something.

"Sully! I believe there are some items waiting for me in Soda Springs." She looked from Sully to Cassandra. "Cassandra, why don't you go into the clinic and get changed?"

"Okay." The girl left Sully and Michaela alone, and Michaela turned to Sully.

"I know this is asking a lot, but I know you said you'd like to help me today. Would it be possible for you to take her to Soda Springs and pick up my freight?" Sully nodded.

"If ya wouldn't mind watchin' Brian, I'd be happy to do it." Michaela looked at the sleeping baby and swallowed hard. Sure, she'd cared for infants before, but she'd never been left alone with one for several hours at a time.

"Well," she said slowly, "I suppose it shouldn't be any trouble. He can help me while his father's away then." She smiled, trying to show that she wasn't nervous about caring for this little boy. Sully knew she was, however, and he smiled. He had confidence in her, so he wasn't afraid to leave his child in her care.

"Don't worry. Brian's pretty good about lettin' ya know what he wants and needs." They sat down on the bench outside of the clinic, and Michaela took Brian into her arms. The boy's head rested upon her shoulder, and she realized how nice it felt to hold a baby in her arms.

"Is she gonna be alright?" Sully asked, nodding toward the door of the clinic.

"I hope so," Michaela whispered. She couldn't discuss the girl's case, but she hoped that the medicine she'd given Cassandra at the saloon would help to clear up the problem. She'd seen it in many young women, and she had seen it clear up after a few treatments. More than likely, one of Hank's customers had given it to her.

It wasn't long before Sully was in the wagon, waiting for Cassandra to say her goodbyes to Michaela. Michaela had taken her to the mercantile to pick up a few things.

"We've wired for your family," she said softly. "They'll be expecting you." They walked out of the mercantile, and Cassandra shivered, rubbing her arms nervously.

"What am I gonna tell my ma?" she asked softly.

"You'll know what to say, Cassandra," she replied softly. "But, what I want you to do before anything else is visit the doctor, alright?" Cassandra nodded and gripped the bottle of medicine that Michaela had given her and told her to brew in a tea. Cassandra smiled as Michaela adjusted Brian on her hip.

"Ya know what?"

"Hmm?"

"You're the first doctor I ever seen."

"Well, to tell you the truth, you're the first patient that I've had since I've been here." She grinned at little Brian. "Well, the only patient that can tell me what's bothering them, that is." Cassandra smiled.

"Thanks Dr. Mike." Michaela nodded and watched as the girl got into the wagon beside Sully.

"I'll be back before the kids get out of school."

"See you," Michaela called, waving after him. She realized, as the wagon was pulling away, that for a few minutes, she'd felt like a part of Sully's family. She looked at Brian and smiled again. "Well, Brian, would you like to help me at the clinic today?"

"Dr. Mike?" She turned to see Robert E. and Grace walking her way.

"Oh, Robert E., Grace! What can I do for you?"

"Abagail said ya needed some help with some things ya sent from Boston."

"Oh, that," Michaela replied quickly. "Sully went on ahead."

"Oh. Well, if ya got the time, would ya mind takin' a look at my hands? The lumbago's really botherin' me today." Michaela nodded.

"Why don't you go into the clinic and have a seat. I'll be with you as soon as I take Brian up for a nap." Robert E. nodded, tipped his hat and started in the direction of Michaela's clinic.

"Oh, I'll take 'im," Grace offered as her two oldest boys ran around her chasing one another.

"If you're sure he won't be a bother?" Michaela asked.

"Sure. He and Anthony get along just fine."

"Alright then," Michaela replied gratefully. "Thank you."

"We'll be over at the café. C'mon children." She took Brian and started across town with the four youngsters. Michaela turned quickly and headed for the clinic to join her patient.

* * *

Unfortunately, the weather wouldn't permit Michaela to go about meeting potential patients once the rain began to hammer down upon the dry, dusty soil. Instead, she spent a quiet afternoon caring for little Brian and doing a bit more rearranging in the upstairs rooms that would soon become recovery rooms.

Brian was crawling around on a blanket she'd laid out on the floor in her own personal bedroom. She had shut the door as to prevent him from crawling out. She'd become frantic earlier in the day when he'd snuck out and nearly crawled to the staircase, so she was taking extra precaution considering the fact that he was also able to walk. Luckily he wasn't able to reach the doorknob.

As thunder rattled the entire clinic, Michaela wrapped a shawl around her shoulders and moved to light another oil lamp. With the clouds becoming thicker and thicker over the sun, it was getting dimmer and dimmer outside. She wondered why Sully wasn't back yet. It was past noon, and he had said he'd be back before the children got out of school. But then again, he probably hadn't expected the storm. She hoped he was alright out there in the wagon with no shelter. But the more she thought about it the better she felt. After all, he had been living in Colorado Springs for a long time and had been on his own for even longer. He knew how to take care of himself.

"Up!" Brian shouted as he looked over at Michaela. She turned from the bedroom window and walked over to kneel down on the floor. Brian had pulled himself up into a standing position and was staring curiously at the lady doctor.

"Don't worry Brian. Your papa will be here soon."

"Up!" Brian called again. Michaela pulled him into her arms and stood. She carried him back over to the window and pointed out at the dreary street scene. All of the shopkeepers were confined within their stores, and the few people on the street were frantically trying to get home and out of the rain.

She noticed the sun beginning to peak through the rain clouds causing the rain droplets to sparkle like a billion tiny diamonds disappearing into the dark dust upon the streets. She had never noticed how beautiful the rain could be, because in Boston, it had been a nuisance when she was running late for her duties at the hospital.

"Wain," Brian said with a giggle. Michaela grinned at the bright little boy. Holding him and playing with him seemed to bring out a totally different side, and it felt so right to become maternal.

"That's right! You're a smart little one, aren't you?"

Before too long, Brian grew tired, and she put him down for a nap and returned downstairs to begin polishing and cleaning the few medical instruments that she had. She had to wait for the supplies Sully was bringing back to arrive along with those she still needed to send for in Boston. When a knock came upon the door, she wondered for a moment if it was Sully returning, but when she opened it, she was faced by a plain but pretty young woman whose belly was sticking out quite far.

"Good afternoon," Michaela said with a smile.

"Afternoon," the lady replied kindly. "My name is Myra Bing, and this is my husband Horace."

"It's nice to meet you," the doctor replied with a nod and another smile. A look of realization came over her face. "Horace Bing? You're the telegraph operator."

"That's right, ma'am."

"I was about to come see you in order to post a wire to Boston."

"Oh? Well, I was bringin' Myra so she could make sure everything's alright with our baby. She's been real worried."

"Horace," Myra scolded. "I'm not worried. I know everything's alright." Michaela watched the two with a twinkle in her eyes. These two were obviously first-time parents, and it was so sweet to see new life about to enter the world.

"Don't worry," Michaela noted. "It's perfectly natural for expectant parents to be nervous. Why don't you come in, Myra, and I'll take a look."

"Thanks Dr. . ."

"Dr. Quinn," Michaela finished. "But everyone else feels more comfortable with calling me Dr. Mike."

"Dr. Mike," Myra pondered briefly. "I like that." She made her way inside, slowly but surely, and Michaela turned back to Horace.

"You're more than welcome to come inside."

"Ah, I gotta be getting back to my post. Would ya like me to go ahead and send that wire to Boston for ya?"

"That would be fine! What would I owe you?"

"Well, me and Myra ain't got so much money right now. Would ya take an even trade for checkin' on Myra and the baby?"

"That sounds fair to me," Michaela replied. She disappeared into the clinic, wrote down what she needed the telegram to say, and sent Horace on his way with it. When she finally joined Myra, the young woman was sitting nervously on a cot that the doctor had laid out until her examination table could arrive. She was picking at little fuzz balls on her shawl, and it was obvious that she wasn't used to doctors. "Alright Myra, let's begin. Shall we?"

"Uh, okay," Myra replied, not knowing what to do next.

"Have you ever been examined before?" The woman shook her head.

"Nope," she explained. "I grew up here all my life, and when my mama and daddy died, I married Horace. We never had a doctor here 'til you came along."

"Ah," Michaela replied with an understanding nod. "Well, it's nothing to be afraid of. I'm just going to wash my hands, and we'll begin."

"Okay," Myra replied nervously, watching as the doctor moved about the room to wash her hands and dry them. She realized that the place was very clean. There wasn't a dust or dirt spot in sight! "My this place sure is clean!"

"It's important to keep a medical facility such as this one clean, Myra. It takes down the risk of infection and further complications with injuries or illnesses. In hospitals like in Boston, there are people who clean every corner and crevice every day. Unfortunately, I have no help in that department, so I have to do it all myself." Myra thought for a moment.

"Well, would ya be interested in havin' some help? After the baby gets here, that is."

"Help?"

"I could clean for ya," she explained. "Ya don't have to pay me too much, just a little." Michaela began to wonder why this woman would want to come clean the clinic every day. It wasn't the most fascinating or enjoyable job."

"Well, I could use the help, but I'm afraid that I have nothing to pay you right now."

"Oh," Myra replied quietly. "Well, I'd be willin' to help. It ain't everyday ya meet a lady doctor, so I kinda feel lucky that Colorado Springs has one."

"I appreciate that, Myra," Michaela replied with a smile. As she examined Myra, she checked everything from the baby's position and heartbeat to Myra's temperature and overall wellbeing. From talking with Myra, she learned that the girl hadn't had an education, and had spent most of her life working with her mother and father on their farm. When she'd met Horace in town, he'd taught her to read, and she had spent a lot of time with him. He had more money than her parents had, but he wasn't wealthy by any means. Her parents had died just a year before in a fire, and as soon as that had happened, Horace took Myra in, and they had married. Michaela gathered that Myra loved him, but it seemed more of a friendship kind of love that had developed a bit over time. But, to her, it seemed like a marriage of convenience. He had a wife to cook and clean for him, which was a good thing for him considering Myra had revealed that her husband couldn't do either, and she had a husband to support her since she wasn't really qualified for many jobs.

After the complete examination was done, Michaela filled out a few things in a new medical record for Myra. One more new patient to add to her files seemed to be a blessing from above. Perhaps people would come around more quickly than anyone had expected!

"You and your baby seem to be in excellent health considering the fact that you haven't had any care during your pregnancy. What concerns me is the fact that you've been on your feet for hours on end helping Horace at the telegraph office."

"Is that gonna hurt the baby?"

"I don't believe any harm has occurred as of yet, but your baby will be here within the matter of a week or so. You need to rest and stay off of your feet as much as possible until then." Myra nodded slowly, and Michaela noticed tears in her eyes. "Myra? Are you alright?"

"Yeah," she replied. "It's just that . . ."

"What?"

"Oh, never mind. Don't pay no attention to a moody pregnant lady." She put a smile upon her face, but Michaela wasn't convinced. Nevertheless, she decided to let it go for now."

"I'll come by to check on you in a few days."

"Thanks, Dr. Mike." Myra left, and Michaela watched as she walked to the telegraph office to tell her husband about the doctor's orders.

The rest of the afternoon, for Michaela, consisted of jotting down notes here and there in the records she had started to keep. She made one especially for little Brian, noting the illness he'd suffered. She'd started one for Jake, though she hadn't treated him yet. She had the feeling she would be doing so rather soon. Myra had her own, and even Cassandra, though she figured she'd never see the young girl again.

* * *

Around two o'clock, the door to the clinic opened, and Sully came walking in with a heavy box in his arms.

"Afternoon, Dr. Mike," he said, straining a bit as he balanced the heavy object. Robert E. followed behind him.

"Good afternoon, gentlemen," Michaela said with a smile, stepping out from behind her desk.

"Where do ya want these?" Robert E. asked.

"Upstairs if you can manage. Any of the rooms would be fine." Robert E. and Sully nodded and started up the stairs. Michaela peeked out to see two more boxes covered by a burlap tarp in the wagon. Sully and Robert E. were soon unloading them and bringing them inside. Robert E. made his way down the stairs after the second unloading, and he tipped his hat to the young doctor.

"I best be getting home now, Dr. Mike. I promised Grace I'd watch the children while she takes some soup to Widow Johnson."

"Have a good afternoon, Robert E.," Michaela called to him as he left. She shut the clinic door as thunder rumbled again. She sure hoped that the rain would stop soon!

"Thanks for watchin' Brian for me today," Sully said as he came down the stairs. Michaela turned to face him, and she noticed that he was soaked from head to toe. He was breathing rather heavily from lugging those heavy boxes up the stairs, and his entire presence started something deep inside of Michaela.

"He was no trouble, I assure you," Michaela replied. Sully started for the door. "Where are you going?"

"I figured I'd go home and get a change of clothes." Michaela furrowed her brows. "And then come all the way back here only to get soaked again?" She pointed upstairs, reminding him that Brian was napping. Sully felt foolish, but he knew she understood.

"Why don't you just wait the storm out here where it's warm and dry? I'd hate for you to have to be my next patient. I have plenty of towels upstairs that you can dry off with."

"You're sure ya don't mind?"

"Of course not," Michaela replied with a smile. "Come along, and I'll show you where you can hang your clothes to dry." She led him up the stairs and into her own room. He knew it was hers, because all of her luggage and a few of her dresses were scattered about the place. She pulled a rocking chair over in front of the only upstairs fireplace, and she glanced at Sully.

"You can hang your clothes to dry here, and there are fresh towels in the bottom drawer of my bureau."

"Thanks Dr. Mike," Sully replied with a smile. She nodded and left him alone to go about what he was doing. She peeked over at Brian who was still sleeping away.

As Michaela stepped out into the hallway, she leaned against the door, feeling happy again. Why was it that whenever Sully was around, her spirit felt so much more free and happy? She even felt physically better with him around.

A knock came to the door downstairs, and Michaela rushed down to answer it. She was surprised to find a soaking wet Abagail, Matthew, and Colleen.

"Mrs. Simmons let us out early," Matthew explained. "Do ya know where Pa is?"

"Actually yes," Michaela replied, glancing at Abagail. Abagail took off her bonnet and wrung the rain water out on the porch.

"Dr. Mike!" Sully called from upstairs. "Which drawer are the towels in again! It's getting kinda chilly up here!" Michaela's eyes went wide, and her heart skipped a beat. Oh God! What would the children think! She saw Abagail's face turn a nice shade of white at the sound of Sully's voice. Michaela had to think of an explanation and quickly. There was nothing to be embarrassed about, but she could definitely see how this situation could be easily misinterpreted.

"Why's Pa lookin' for towels?" a very naïve little Colleen asked. Matthew obviously thought nothing of the situation either, and Michaela breathed a quick sigh of relief. Abagail, however, obviously had much bigger worries on her mind.

"The bottom drawer, Sully!" Michaela called up, feeling like a fool for shouting like that. She looked back at the children. "Come on inside." Matthew and Colleen bounced in playfully, and Michaela took their soggy coats. Abagail nervously shut the door as she walked in. "I'll take your coat as well."

"That's okay. I ought to be getting home soon anyway."

"Nonsense," Michaela said, trying to be as hospitable as she could under these circumstances. "Come on in, and I'll put on the kettle. If your parents are worried, I'll let them know that I offered you a dry place to stay out of the rain."

"You shouldn't trouble yourself, Dr. Mike. Remember I live on top of the general store." She thought about Sully upstairs. "Maybe I should take the kids with me."

"No. We'll be fine, won't we children?" Matthew and Colleen nodded vigorously. Abagail didn't look so certain.

"On second thought, I'll go ahead and stick around." Michaela nodded slowly.

"I'll go put on the kettle," the doctor repeated. She escaped into the other room, threw some water into a kettle, placed it on the stove, and rushed up the back stairs as quietly and quickly as she could possibly go. She rapped on Sully's door, and she heard movement in the room.

"Dr. Mike?"

"Yes, it's me," she replied quietly in a whisper.

"What's goin' on?"

"Your children and Abagail Bray are downstairs at this very moment. I believe Abagail is getting the wrong idea."

"So?" Sully asked. Michaela was taken aback. How could he ask such a question of her!

"What do you mean by that? Sully!" Sully opened the door a crack and stuck his head through. Michaela swallowed hard, seeing that he was naked expect for a single towel around his waist. She turned her back to him in order to avert her eyes.

"I mean, why do you worry so much 'bout what people think of you?" Michaela thought for a moment, and Sully continued. "You know what the truth of it is, so why should ya worry 'bout what other people think?"

"Because, I'm assuming that what Abagail must be thinking is of an entirely inappropriate situation."

"Well, let her think what she wants."

"I most certainly will not! I'm going to go have a talk with her." She turned just long enough to look into his eyes. All thoughts were lost, and she turned away again. A few moments passed.

"Thought you were gonna go talk to her."

"I am."

"You're still standin' here, and my clothes ain't any drier." Michaela exhaled sharply and made her way down the hall and the back stairs. Sully shut the door and leaned against it, laughing to himself. She was so proper, and that was one of the many charming qualities he loved about her.

When Michaela finally arrived back downstairs, Abagail was pouring tea from the kettle into two cups. Michaela froze when she entered the room from having come down the stairs.

"Tea's done," the girl noted. "Ya nearly let it boil over."

"Oh," Michaela replied quietly, accepting a cup from Abagail's hand. She chewed on her bottom lip for a moment, thought about what Sully had said, and decided to try to explain the situation to the young woman. "Sully ran an errand for me today, and he was caught in the rain. He's trying to get dried off now." Abagail eyed the doctor.

"That so? Well, the rain seems to be lettin' up."

"So it is," Michaela said with a nod, glancing out the window. She went to speak again, but Abagail shook her head.

"Ya don't have to explain. I ain't gonna say nothin' to nobody." She took a sip of the tea and placed the cup down into its saucer. "I really should be goin' home." Abagail Bray left quickly, and Michaela heard a crash coming from the other room. She rushed in to see Matthew standing over her favorite vase. Well, he was standing over her favorite vase that had been broken into several pieces anyway.

"Matthew!" Colleen exclaimed. "You broke her vase!" Matthew's eyes were wide from being startled, and he looked over at Michaela.

"I'm sorry, Dr. Mike." Michaela stared down at her favorite vase. It had been a present from her grandmother many years ago. It was over seventy years old, and it had belonged to her great-grandmother first. She knew it had been an accident, and she also knew that somehow the vase could be fixed. She couldn't yell, especially because these weren't even her children. Besides, the poor boy looked genuinely sorry.

"I'm sure it was an accident," Michaela replied, kneeling down to pick up the pieces of the broken vase. Colleen looked at her brother and shook her head.

"Look what you did, Matthew."

"I said I'm sorry!" Matthew screamed. He realized how loud and angry he'd sounded, and he rushed out of the clinic and into the muddy street. Michaela dropped the pieces back into the pile.

"Stay away from these. They're very sharp, Colleen." Colleen nodded, and Michaela rushed out of the clinic after Matthew. He was stopped in the middle of the street. He'd tripped and fallen in the mud, and Michaela felt so bad for the poor boy. "Matthew?"

"Leave me alone," he cried, standing and pulling his arms around himself as he began to shiver. Though it was August, the remaining drizzle from the storm was quite chilly. Several of the townsfolk and shopkeepers came out onto their porches to see what was going on. Most in the streets continued on about their business as to not attract too much attention to the boy.

"Come inside." She reached a hand out to him. He pulled away before she could touch him.

"I don't wanna."

"I'm not angry, Matthew. It's just a vase. It can be fixed, you know?" Matthew turned to face the doctor, and Michaela saw that tears were in his eyes. "It's alright." He broke down sobbing, and Michaela knew something more was bothering him. She held her arms out and gathered him up. As she stood with the boy in her arms, she turned to see Colleen looking out of the window. "It's alright," she whispered once more before heading inside with the crying child.


	5. Chapter Five

**Chapter Five**

After hearing all of the commotion downstairs, Sully pulled his soaking wet clothes back on and rushed down the stairs to witness his daughter standing by while Michaela held a crying Matthew in her arms.

"What's goin' on?" Sully asked.

"Matthew broke Dr. Mike's pitcher," Colleen pointed out.

"It was an accident," Michaela assured Sully. She focused her attention back on the boy. "It's alright, Matthew. There's no need to cry." Sully noticed the mud on his son's clothes and hands, and he looked at Colleen.

"Colleen, will ya go upstairs and check on Brian for me?"

"Okay Pa," Colleen replied. She turned to look up at Matthew. "Sorry if I made ya cry." She slowly left the room, and Sully knelt down to start cleaning up the broken pieces of the vase.

"I'll get rid of this stuff so nobody gets cut," he noted. Michaela nodded. Having it pieced back together probably wouldn't work anyway, and who was to say when she'd be receiving flowers that needed to be put in water anyway? Sully scooped up the pieces and disappeared outside. Michaela sat down in a chair, and Matthew unclasped his arms from their position around her neck, and he dried his eyes.

"Are you alright, Matthew?" He nodded. Michaela smiled and rubbed his back soothingly. "What got you so upset? If it's the vase, I want you to know that I'm not upset."

"It's not that," he replied, sniffling. He stood when he realized that he was getting mud all over Michaela's dress. She didn't seem to mind at the moment, and she reached out to take the boy's hand in hers. "You can tell me."

"Promise ya won't tell Pa?"

"Well, if you promise me it isn't bad, then I promise that it'll be between us."

"I promise it ain't nothin' bad," Matthew replied. Little did either one of them know that Sully was now standing outside of the clinic door. He didn't want to spy, but if something was troubling his child, he wanted to know what it was.

"Alright. What is it?" Matthew took a deep breath.

"I was rememberin' my ma. See, when I was 'bout Colleen's age or a little younger, I broke one of my ma's favorite plates. Just . . . when I broke that vase, I thought about that. I thought about my ma." Michaela smiled at Sully's son.

"There's nothing wrong with thinking about your mother, Matthew. I'm sure you loved her very much. Thinking about those we've lost is difficult sometimes, but it's natural."

"Really?"

"Really."

"I don't want Pa sad 'cause I think of my ma. I don't want him to think that I don't like stayin' with him." Michaela noticed Sully standing outside, and she smiled at the boy.

"I'm sure he understands. He had parents once too."

"Ya think he ever things about 'em?"

"I'm sure he does," Michaela replied. Matthew sniffled, again and a smile came over his face. "Better?"

"Yeah. Thanks Dr. Mike," he said, giving her a grateful hug. Sully walked in at that moment, and Michaela looked up at him knowingly. He nodded a silent thanks to her.

"The rain stopped," Sully said, clearing his throat. "Ya ready to go home, Matthew?"

"Okay Pa," Matthew replied. He let go of Michaela.

"Go on upstairs and get your brother and sister." Matthew nodded and rushed to do as his father asked. Michaela stood, straightening her muddy wrinkled skirt. Sully smiled sheepishly at her. "Sorry 'bout that."

"It'll wash," Michaela promised with a smile.

"I'm sorry 'bout all that. The kids are still havin' a tough time. They try not to show it most of the time, but I know they are."

"It's understandable. They've suffered a terrible loss." Sully nodded, and as Matthew and Colleen came downstairs with Brian in tow, they headed outside to wait for their father. A few moments of silence passed between the two. "You should probably go home and get into something dry."

"Right," Sully chuckled. "I'll see ya around, Dr. Mike." She nodded.

"Thank you for everything today . . . your help with Cassandra and . . ." Sully simply nodded and left the clinic, leaving Michaela with her thoughts.

* * *

A week had passed, and Michaela's clinic finally looked like a clinic. She hadn't met with Jake Slicker yet, though she'd tried. Every time she went to the barbershop to speak with him, he'd close up. Needless to say, there were several men in Colorado Springs who were in desperate need of a shave. 

Myra was still on bed rest, and Michaela knew that the baby would be born within the next few days. Myra was having mild contractions, but she wasn't even anywhere near going into labor. It would be a few days for sure.

Grace had been an incredible help over the past week. She'd been sending over lunches for the doctor as she got her clinic in order. Her little boys had been very sweet as well. The two oldest had picked flowers for her desk as if she were some kind of a teacher.

To the women of the town, Michaela was a respectable woman and someone to look up to. They'd never heard of lady doctors before, and having one in their own town seemed like a dream come true. It was almost liberating in a sense. Most of the men in town didn't feel the same, and they had stayed clear of coming to see her for their aches and pains, with the exception of Robert E., of course. Though she hadn't gotten any new patients since Myra, Michaela was very pleased with how welcoming some of the citizens were.

While Michaela was enjoying herself, Abagail was not. She only had three weeks left to get Sully to ask for her hand. She was none-too-pleased with the fact that Michaela and Sully were becoming fast friends. She was pretty sure that she'd seen Sully and the children over at the clinic every day, and she couldn't do anything about it! It was frustrating, because she'd never seen Sully look at anyone the way he looked at Michaela. She yearned for him to look at her that way even just once. Sully couldn't be falling for the new young doctor! What could she offer him that Abagail couldn't?

Abagail groaned as she made her way down from her room into the mercantile. Maude stared at her for a moment.

"What's the matter, sweetheart?" the older woman asked.

"Nothin'," Abagail muttered. "Where's Papa?"

"He rode out to deliver some supplies to Sully's homestead."

"And he didn't wake me!" Abagail asked. "But he knows how much I . . ." Maude sighed heavily. While she wanted her daughter to be happy, she knew that this situation was becoming very dramatic for the young girl.

"Don't worry, Abby. Sully's not there anyway."

"He's not?"

"No. I think he went out to the Indian reservation last night 'cause his friend needed his help."

"Where are the kids?"

"He took 'em along."

"Oh," Abagail replied, secretly pleased that he hadn't sent them to Dr. Mike again. Just as she was beginning to cheer up, Michaela walked in with a smile upon her face.

"Mornin' Dr. Mike," Maude said with a warm smile. Maude was a kind lady, and Loren loved her so very much. It was obvious! But, he knew that having a woman doctor in town would be a bad influence on his wife.

"Good morning Maude. Abagail," Michaela said with a smile.

"What can I do for you this mornin', Dr. Mike?"

"I'm supposed to be going out to the reservation to meet Sully and the children," Michaela explained. "I met Cloud Dancing yesterday, and he told me that he would show me a few natural medicines that I might be able to use, so I'm going out there again today. It's so beautiful outside, so why waste it inside?"

"That's a good idea," Maude said with a smile. "Abby, since ya'll got the day off of school, why don't ya go outside and see your friends?"

"Actually, I'd like to go out to the reservation too." Maude knew her daughter was up to something.

"You would?" Michaela asked.

"Yeah. Well, you've been sayin' that ya need to learn how to ride a horse. Why not start today? I could help!"

"Oh, I couldn't," Michaela said quickly.

"Why not?" Maude wondered. "C'mon, Dr. Mike. Ya can't put it off forever."

"I'll ride over to the livery and ask Robert E. to loan ya a horse," Abagail offered.

"No, that's quite alright," Michaela said with a slight twinge of nervousness. "I'd feel more comfortable on my own horse."

"That old thing?" Maude asked, looking out the window at the horse that was hitched to the wagon.

"Bear might be old, but he's friendly. We get along just fine." Abagail smiled to herself. This was going to be too easy! Once Sully saw Dr. Mike failing miserably at riding a horse, he wouldn't find her so charming anymore!

"C'mon, Dr. Mike. I'll help ya get Bear." Abagail linked her arm through Dr. Mike's and the two started out the door. Maude stared after them, shaking her head with exasperation.

* * *

"Whoa!" Michaela called as Bear snorted and whinnied. She was gripping the reins so tightly that her knuckles were a bright shade of white. Abagail grinned as she rode alongside Michaela on her own horse. She gently patted her horse's neck. 

"Good girl, Buttercup."

"Come on, Bear," Michaela urged as they continued along the path toward the reservation. She had to admit that she was getting used to riding, but she wasn't quite sure if she could trust her horse. He seemed to have a completely different mind when it came to where he wanted to go. He kept trying to turn around.

"You're doin' good, Dr. Mike. Just give him a little kick, and he'll speed up for ya." Michaela did _not_ like the idea of that.

"Speed up? No, I think we're fine going the pace we are," she replied quickly.

"So, you and Sully are becomin' good friends, huh?" Abagail asked slowly. Michaela was focused on the road ahead.

"Yes, I suppose we are."

"The kids really like ya. They talk about ya every day at school." To Abagail, that was irritating, but she tried her best to be polite and not seem jealous. She knew the kids wouldn't understand anyway.

"Do they?"

"Yeah."

"Well, I adore them," Michaela said with a smile, relaxing her grip on the reins. Perhaps horse riding wasn't so difficult after all. Abagail noticed this action, and it became increasingly irritating for her to see that this proper Boston woman was catching on quickly to the art of horseback riding. "The children remind me of what it's like to have siblings. I have four sisters back home, though Colleen and Matthew seem to be much closer than I ever was with my sisters."

"I'm an only child," Abagail said with a smile. "I've always wanted lots of babies, 'cause I know what it's like to not have someone to play with growin' up." She chewed on her bottom lip for a moment. "Sully wants lots of kids too." Michaela raised an eyebrow and glanced at Abagail.

"He does?"

"Yeah. He loves havin' kids, and now that he knows what it's like to be a pa, I wouldn't be surprised if he wants three or four of his own." Michaela wondered why Abagail was talking to her about such a thing, and she couldn't help but imagine herself surrounded by many children and a husband. It just so happened that the husband in her thoughts had Sully's face. She needed to get off of this topic and quickly!

"Well, I say that if he can care for them and love them all equally, there shouldn't be any reason why he couldn't have as many children as he wants." Bear snorted again.

"We're close now. Ya ain't scared are ya?"

"Why should I be scared?" Michaela wondered. "I was just here yesterday." Abagail was exasperated. Didn't anything phase this woman! They continued along, and Michaela smiled as Bear finally gave in and obeyed the young woman on his back. Michaela knew it would take some getting used to, but she knew that riding a horse would no longer be a problem for her to face.

"It's just past this ridge," Abagail commented. Michaela nodded, remembering the trip out there with Sully from the day before. Oddly enough, she didn't remember having seen this beautiful scenery. Her thoughts must have been elsewhere the afternoon before. Abagail gave Buttercup a little nudge, and the horse began to trot a little faster. Michaela decided to do the same thing, but she realized that she must have nudged Bear too hard when the horse began to gallop ahead at full speed. Abagail relaxed once she saw that the doctor was holding on tight and showed no signs of falling off. She didn't want the doctor to fall or get hurt. She liked her, actually, but she also loved Sully. She wanted to eliminate the possible competition and not hurt the young doctor in the process.

"Whoa, Bear!" Michaela screamed out. "Whoa!" But, the horse was taking charge again and not listening to the lady who was frantically holding onto him. "Slow down!" She tried tugging back on the reins, but as Bear thundered down the dirt road, she noticed that the reservation was coming into sight.

Abagail brought Buttercup to a slightly quicker gallop, but stayed back a bit so she could watch Michaela embarrass herself in front of Sully. This was surely going to make him see her as a klutz! She wouldn't be so elegant and perfect after this!

As Bear was barreling straight ahead like an accelerating steam engine, Sully was standing outside of Cloud Dancing and Snow Bird's teepee with Brian on his hip. Matthew and Colleen came running with frantic looks upon their faces.

"Pa! Pa!" Colleen exclaimed. Sully rushed over to greet his children.

"What is it? What'd ya see?"

"It's Dr. Mike!" Matthew exclaimed, pointing in the direction they had seen her. "She's ridin' a horse, and it's comin' really fast!" Sully could hear the rapid hoof beats coming their way. He handed Brian to Matthew.

"Get your little brother and sister out of the way." Matthew nodded and proudly took charge of his younger siblings. Sully and Cloud Dancing rushed toward the scene, and as Michaela and her horse came into sight, he saw that she was getting control of the horse.

"Whoa," Michaela breathed as she tugged the reins hard enough to startle the horse into a stop. Sully and Cloud Dancing made it to them a moment later as Abagail came riding up.

"Sorry that happened, Dr. Mike. Didn't think the horse would do such a thing!"

"That's quite alright," Michaela breathed quickly. Sully held a hand out to the beautiful Boston doctor, and as she was starting to dismount, she slipped, lost her footing, and tumbled to the ground. Luckily, Sully was there to catch her fall, but unfortunately, he had nobody to catch his. "Oh! Are you alright? I'm so sorry!" Sully chuckled and sat up beside Michaela.

"I'm fine. Don't worry 'bout it. It ain't everyday that a pretty lady falls into my arms." Michaela blushed and giggled nervously as she shook her head. Sully stood and helped her up.

"Thank you," she said with a smile. Sully glanced at Abagail.

"Ya shoulda let her take it at her own pace, Abagail. She coulda been hurt. She ain't used to ridin'."

"It's not her fault," Michaela pointed out as Abagail's face turned three different shades of red. "I think I nudged bear a bit too hard." She swallowed hard as her heart began to pound at a slightly lower rate. Sully nodded.

"Well, next time, don't try runnin' a race." Michaela chuckled and moved to brush a loose strand of hair out of her face. Sully noticed a small rip in the sleeve of her dress.

"You're bleedin'," Sully pointed out.

"Oh, it's nothing serious."

"Well, ya got your doctor bag with ya, so let's go get that cleaned up. The kids are lookin' forward to seein' ya." Abagail couldn't believe it! First of all, Michaela hadn't looked like a fool to Sully, and second of all, he scolded _her_ for Michaela's unfortunate mishap with the horse! Sure, it had been her fault. She had intentionally brought Buttercup to a faster trot so that Michaela would do the same. But, she hadn't expected the outcome to be like this. How did she end up looking like the fool? She had to do something and quickly!

"Oh!" she cried out, realizing that if she were to fall off a horse, Sully wouldn't just let her fall to the ground. But, as she was "falling," Cloud Dancing reached out to catch her.

"Are you alright?" the older Indian asked.

"Yes," Abagail replied with a hint of disappointment in her voice as she watched Sully and Michaela walk off toward Cloud Dancing's teepee.

* * *

"Dr. Mike! Are you alright?" Colleen asked as Michaela sat down on a overturned tree log. 

"I'm fine," Michaela assured them. "My horse, however, does not know how to control himself." Colleen giggled.

"He's an old horse," Sully pointed out. He rolled Michaela's sleeve up, and saw that her cut was still bleeding a little. Cloud Dancing came over with a damp cloth and handed it to Sully.

"I can take care of this," Michaela pointed out. Sully gave her a look as if to tell her to stop being so stubborn. As he tenderly cleaned her cut, Michaela pointed out that it was only a minor one that wouldn't need stitches. She also pointed out to him what ointment to put on it, and before too long, he was wrapping a bandage around it. Matthew and Colleen stood at the side with Cloud Dancing, Snow Bird and Abagail. Colleen looked at her brother, and he grinned at her.

"I think they like each other," Colleen whispered. Matthew grinned, nodded and put his finger to his lips to quiet his sister. Abagail couldn't take it anymore. She cleared her throat.

"I best be goin' home," she said with a smile, looking at Sully. Sully looked up at her.

"Hold on for a second, will ya?" he asked. Abagail let out a breath of relief. Was he going to offer to take her home? Perhaps her plan was going to work after all! She swallowed hard and caught her breath as Sully stood to face her. Michaela went about re-packing things into her medical bag.

"Would ya mind takin' the kids back into town with ya?" he asked. Abagail's heart fell.

"Um, sure," she said quietly.

"You go on and take the wagon. Me and Dr. Mike'll bring your horse back"

"My pa is havin' new shoes put on her. I gotta take her back."

"Alright. Well, I'll go make sure she's secured to the wagon." Abagail nodded absently. She felt horrible. Dr. Mike could have seriously been hurt, and she hadn't gotten anywhere with Sully. Maybe her parents were right. Maybe he wasn't the right one for her. But, she didn't like to think about that. She loved him, and she wanted him to love her back. She still had three weeks. Anything could happen, right?

As the children ran ahead with little Brian, Sully and Abagail walked toward the wagon slowly. Abagail, who was leading Buttercup, was thankful for the privacy they had been given, but Sully seemed to be in a different kind of mood.

"I didn't mean for that to happen to Dr. Mike," Abagail said softly. "I mean, I just thought it might do her some good to ride."

"I know ya meant well," Sully replied with a smile, making Abagail feel incredibly guilty. "But ya gotta understand that she ain't used to the kinda things that folks 'round here are. She's gotta learn things a piece at a time, 'cause it takes a long time to get used to livin' in a new place."

"Yeah," Abagail whispered. "She ain't like us." The comment, of course, didn't have the same meaning to Sully as it did to the infatuated young girl.

"Hurry up, slowpokes!" Matthew shouted. Sully laughed and jogged ahead, taking Buttercup's reins. Abagail stopped and folded her arms across her chest. This was not good! How on Earth was she going to get Sully to ask for her hand in three weeks?

* * *

That evening, Abagail walked out onto the porch of the mercantile with Brian on her hip. She watched as her father swept the porch, and Matthew and Colleen ran about playing. She hadn't expected to see what she saw next, and that was Sully and Michaela riding into town together on the same horse. What else should she have expected? They only had Sully's horse, so why wouldn't he have let her ride up there with him. 

Loren saw his daughter's shoulders tense up, and he shook his head.

"Forget it, Abby. He ain't interested in you."

"Oh, leave me alone!" she cried, placing Brian in her father's arms and rushing up the stairs to her room. Loren looked at baby Brian. "Be glad you ain't a girl. They ain't fun durin' these growin' up years."

"Loren?" Sully asked, walking over with the doctor following behind him. "Where's Abagail?" Loren shrugged.

"Upstairs I s'pose," he replied. "Here." He handed Brian to his papa, and Colleen and Matthew ran over to tackle him.

"Pa!" they exclaimed. "You're home!"

"Well, we ain't home yet, but go on and get in the wagon. You've both got school tomorrow, and I don't want ya too tired to wake in the mornin'."

"Okay Pa," Colleen replied, grabbing her older brother's hand. They hurried off toward the wagon, which was parked over at the livery. Sully nodded his thanks to Loren, and started walking to the clinic with Michaela.

"I forgot to thank Cloud Dancing for inviting me to look for herbs. I'll be sure to try them out very soon."

"He likes ya. He admires your courage."

"Courage?" Michaela asked, opening up the door to the clinic.

"Sure. He thinks you're pretty brave for comin' out West to practice medicine in a place where most folks still think that men ought to be doin' all the important work."

"I wouldn't call it brave," Michaela replied with a shrug. "I would just call it . . . expanding my horizons." Sully nodded and chuckled.

"Alright, well, next time you wanna try expandin' your horizons even more, don't do it ridin' Bear." Michaela let out a laugh.

"Well, thank you for the warning." After a few moments, they quieted.

"I best be goin' on home."

"Alright. Good night, Sully."

"'Nite, Dr. Mike." Sully walked off, and Michaela retreated the opposite way into the clinic.

It wasn't even twenty minutes later when she heard someone banging on the door downstairs. Michaela had been in her room brushing out her hair, and as soon as she heard the loud noise, she rushed downstairs to see what the commotion was about.

Once she had a lamp lit, she opened the door to see Hank and Robert E. standing there with a passed out Jake Slicker between them. She was still wary of Hank, but the look on his face was nothing close to angry or bitter.

"What happened?"

"We just found 'im passed out at the foot of the stairs in the barbershop," Hank said quickly.

"We had to break in to get to 'im. Looks like he's been out for an hour or two," Robert E. added.

"Bring him inside," Michaela said quickly. Hank and Robert E. carried him in and placed him on the new examination table while Michaela went around lighting more lamps.

"He ain't gonna die is he?" Hank asked. Michaela couldn't be for certain without a proper examination, but just from the look of him, she didn't expect the prognosis to be good.


	6. Chapter Six

**Chapter Six**

The night wore on, and Michaela couldn't help but lose hope of saving her patient with each hour that passed. It had to be close to midnight already, and she was surprised that Hank and Robert E. were still there at the barber's bedside. Loren had even woken to Hank and Robert E.'s commotion and come across town to sit with Jake.

Michaela had first thought it was alcohol poisoning that lead to the coma, but with further examination, she knew for certain that Jake's fall had caused something even more serious that wasn't detectable on the surface.

"What's wrong with 'im?" Hank asked. Michaela had the serious urge to give him a good tongue-lashing. She was curious as to why he trusted her with his friend all of a sudden, but then again, there weren't any other doctors around. He had probably thought she was the best thing next to nothing.

"Yeah, Dr. Mike. Why ain't he wakin' up?" Loren wondered. Michaela took a deep breath as she checked Jake's contracted pupils.

"I believe there is a sub cranial compression," she started and saw the confused looks on the men's faces, "a bruise upon his brain. I believe that when he fell from the stairs, he hit his head in a way that it formed a bruise and a collection of blood inside of his brain."

"A bruise on the inside of his brain? That don't make no sense," Hank said, waving his hand to dismiss the doctor's diagnosis. Loren decided not to let it go that easily though.

"How do ya fix it?"

"I believe there is a technique that enables me to drill inside of his head and release the pressure."

"You believe?" Hank asked. "What is it with all this talk 'bout believin'? Ya either know or ya don't know!" Michaela swallowed hard after Hank's outburst.

"I've never done this procedure before, but I have witnessed it, assisted in it, and learned a great deal."

"What's the chance that he'll wake up?" Michaela swallowed hard. She didn't want to instill false hopes, and she couldn't tell them bad news when she wasn't for certain what the outcome would be. Michaela shook her head.

"I'm not sure," she whispered.

"Just great. I knew we shoulda taken him over to Denver."

"It's a good thing you brought him here," Michaela noted. "He wouldn't have survived that trip."

"How do ya know?"

"All of that jostling in the wagon? It would have caused a stroke, and he would have probably died. At least here he's comfortable."

"Well, how long do ya gotta wait to do the surgery?" Loren asked. Hank stood up.

"Wait a minute! Jake wouldn't want no woman cuttin' on him, 'specially when she don't know what the hell she's doin'!" Hank pointed out angrily. Michaela continued on despite the bartender's assumptions.

"There is a small chance that he could wake within the next forty-eight hours. But, I don't think it's best to wait that long. The longer I wait to relieve the compression, the chance for his waking up decreases more and more until there isn't a chance he'll ever recover." Robert E. finally spoke after his silence.

"What do you think's best, Dr. Mike?"

"I think the best thing to do is wait until sunrise. If there is no improvement in his condition, I think that attempting the procedure would be Jake's best bet." Hank shook his head.

"Well, Robert E., ya best get over and start buildin' a coffin. Looks like we're gonna have a funeral." He stared at the doctor who was at a loss for words. She couldn't attempt a rebuttal on her own behalf when she didn't know for certain if Jake was going to live or die.

"Oh, don't say that," Loren warned. "What if he can hear ya!"

"If he can hear us, then he ain't gonna be too happy that we brought him here if he wakes up," Hank grumbled. "That's a big 'if'." Hank got up and walked off. Robert E. stood. He looked at Dr. Mike.

"I'm real sorry, but I gotta be getting home to Grace. She was feelin' poorly this afternoon, and I probably ought to be there in case she wakes and needs somethin'."

"It's alright, Robert E. Thank you for helping Hank bring Mr. Slicker to me." Robert E. nodded. Before he left, he swallowed hard.

"I hope he gets better. Lord knows Jake ain't always done right by most folks in town, includin' me, but nobody should have to go through what he's goin' through now." Robert E. left, and Michaela felt herself becoming exhausted. She hadn't slept, and in a few hours, she would have been up for an entire twenty-four hours. She had gone three days without a wink of sleep before, but it seemed to be much more difficult now.

Loren saw the exhausted woman sit down upon a chair near Jake's bedside. He saw that her eyelids were heavy, and though he wasn't quite sure he approved of the way she had decided to go in life by becoming a doctor, he couldn't neglect the fact that she was a lady who deserved to be treated as a lady should be. He stood up.

"Dr. Mike? Why don't ya go lay down? Ya look awful tired." Michaela looked up at the old man, and she noticed the concern in his eyes. "I'll sit with Jake and let ya know if anything changes."

"Oh, you don't have to. I'm perfectly fine."

"Ya don't look it." She knew he meant no offense by that comment. "Go on. Go get some rest."

"What about you?"

"Don't mind me. I took a nap this afternoon when business was slow." He chuckled a bit, and Michaela smiled thankfully at him.

"Maybe just for a little while." Loren nodded, and Michaela checked her patient one last time before starting down the hall toward her room to get a little shuteye.

* * *

Sully woke to hear two little feet scuffling around quietly on the floor of the homestead. He opened his eyes to see Matthew walking toward the door. Colleen was still sleeping soundly in her bed, as was little Brian, so Sully was naturally curious as to why his oldest son was up and about at such an hour.

"Matthew?" Matthew froze in his tracks with his hand on the door handle. He turned to face his father's bed.

"Pa, I . . ." the boy whispered.

"Where do ya think you're goin' so late?" Sully wondered. Matthew chewed on his bottom lip, trying to think of a good excuse. "Matthew?"

"Well, I was goin' out to use the outhouse," Matthew said, proud to have thought of an excuse so quickly.

"Ya did that two hours ago," Sully remembered.

"I gotta go again," Matthew replied.

"Ya know I don't like it when ya fib." Matthew nodded. "So, what were ya doin' sneakin' outta the house at this hour?" Matthew sighed heavily and walked over to Sully's bed. He leaned against it, propping his elbows on the mattress. "I wanted to go see Dr. Mike."

"What?" Sully saw his son's cheeks growing red even in the pale moonlight that filtered in through the window.

"Colleen said she had a bad dream one night, and Dr. Mike made her feel better again."

"Did ya have a bad dream?" Matthew nodded sheepishly. "Well, ya shoulda said somethin', son." He scooted over and patted the bed. Matthew climbed in to sit beside his father.

"I didn't wanna wake ya up."

"Well, ya don't gotta go all the way into town to see Dr. Mike when ya have a bad dream, and ya know what?"

"What?"

"If ya ever have a bad dream, don't worry. I ain't gonna get mad at ya."

"Ya won't?"

"Nope. Remember when you and your brother and sister moved in? Remember how ya had bad dreams every night?" Matthew nodded. "Did I get mad then?" The boy shook his head. "And I ain't mad now. What did ya dream about?"

"It wasn't really a dream. I was rememberin'."

"Rememberin' what?" Sully wondered. Matthew's face grew sad, and Sully pulled the boy into his lap. "Tell me."

"I was rememberin' when my ma died."

"Oh," Sully replied quietly. "Well, that's probably somethin' ya won't ever forget, Matthew."

"I wish I could."

"I know, son. But, it'll get easier over time. It might not get easier to think about, but it'll be easier to deal with."

"Promise?" Sully smiled at his son and nodded as he pat him on the back.

"Promise."

"Pa?"

"Yeah?"

"Tell me a story." Sully thought for a moment.

"What kinda story?"

"Hmm," Matthew pondered. "Tell me one 'bout Dr. Mike." Sully felt his heart skip a beat at the mere mention of the beautiful woman doctor.

"I don't know any stories 'bout Dr. Mike," Sully pointed out. Matthew yawned and leaned his head on his father's chest.

"So? Make one up. Please?"

"Alright," Sully replied, clearing his throat and coughing dryly.

"You're stallin', Pa," Matthew complained tiredly. Sully chuckled. Matthew was a clever little fellow! "C'mon. Make it a real good one!"

"Okay. Let's see," Sully began. "Once, there was a real pretty little girl named Dr. Mike."

"No, Pa, she wouldn't have been Dr. Mike when she was a little girl," Matthew noted with a yawn.

"Ha, ya caught me!" Sully replied. "Once there was a little girl named Michaela."

"Ya forgot 'real pretty,'" Matthew remembered.

"Who's tellin' the story?" Sully asked as he tickled his son. Matthew giggled quietly as not to wake his younger siblings. "Alright. Ready?"

"Yup," Matthew answered, closing his eyes. "Once there was a _real pretty_ little girl named Michaela. She grew up in a big house in Boston where she knew from the time she was real young that she wanted to be a doctor. One day, when she was older, she graduated from medical school and started workin' with her Pa at a hospital in Boston. She didn't have lots of friends, but she and her Pa were real close. And one day, she got a telegram from the Reverend in a little town in the Colorado Territory."

"What'd it say?" Matthew asked sleepily.

"It said that the people in Colorado Springs needed a good doctor real quick. So, Dr. Mike grabbed her medical bag, and she headed out West. When she got there, lots of folks were happy that she was there, 'specially the ladies. But, some folks didn't like the fact that she was a doctor and a lady at the same time. On that same day, the lady came out to visit a family who had a sick little baby. The Pa was so happy that the doctor helped his baby that he invited her for dinner. Over a week's time, the Pa and Dr. Mike became friends." He noticed that Matthew had fallen right to sleep, he smiled. "And they lived happily ever after," he finished in a whisper. He got out of bed and carried the sleeping boy back to his own bed, and by the time Sully got back to sleep, dreams of the proper Boston doctor filled his head yet again.

* * *

Michaela woke to the sound of a soft knock on her bedroom door. It was just past dawn, and she realized that she had slept longer than she had originally intended to. She climbed off of the bed, still wearing her clothes from the day before and opened the door. Loren stood there, wringing his hands together nervously.

"What is it, Loren?" she asked worriedly.

"There ain't been no change, but I gotta get across the street to the store so Maude don't have to do everything by herself. I just wanted to let ya know." Michaela nodded.

"Thank you Loren."

"I'll be back later to check on Jake." Michaela nodded again, and after Loren had left, she walked down the hall to the room where Jake Slicker still lay in a coma. She checked his vitals, and Loren was right. There hadn't been any change since Hank and Robert E. brought him in.

She shook her head, not knowing what she was supposed to do. If she operated now, he could die on the table and there would be nothing else she could do. But, if she waited, he would surely die anyway. She realized that she was choosing the lesser of two evils: Waiting for a certain death or attempting a procedure she had never done before.

Just as she was walking downstairs to prepare the surgical equipment, the front door opened and Horace came rushing in.

"Dr. Mike! Dr. Mike, are ya here!" Michaela appeared from upstairs and grabbed her medical bag. "Dr. Mike! It's Myra! She's hurtin' awful bad!" Horace watched as Michaela grabbed several towels and blankets, and followed the telegraph operator to his and Myra's home behind the telegraph office. Myra was writhing with pain in the bed, grasping her pregnant belly.

"Alright, Myra," Michaela said with a positive smile as she entered the room. "Horace, would you care to wait outside?" Horace nodded nervously and closed the door to the bedroom as he left, calling to Myra with reassuring words that didn't seen to help the young woman one tiny bit.

"It hurts!" Myra cried, gripping her belly. "Dr. Mike!"

"Alright," Michaela soothed. "It's going to be alright, Myra." She called out into the hall. "Horace! Go find Grace!" Horace's heavy footsteps were heard running from the building. Michaela turned her attention back to Myra. "It's going to be alright, Myra." She smiled and wiped the sweat from the young woman's brow.

"Oh God! Why does it hurt so much!" Myra screamed. Michaela moved to examine the young woman and was surprised to see that the baby's head was already crowning.

"Myra, how long have you been in labor?"

"A little while," she admitted between the pains. "But they didn't get real bad 'til just before Horace came after ya." Michaela nodded and swallowed hard. "Why!"

"Because I can see the baby's head, and you're ready to push!" Michaela replied quickly. Just then, Grace burst into the room. As Myra groaned in pain, Michaela instructed Grace. Considering the fact that Grace had given birth to three children, Michaela was fairly certain that she would be of some help to poor Myra.

"Alright, Myra," Grace said soothingly. She smiled at the young woman and began placing towels on Myra's belly and chest to receive the baby in. "Just breathe and focus on pushin' that baby into the world."

"Myra, when I tell you, I want you to push as hard as you can, alright?" Myra nodded nervously, and Michaela instructed her. "Push!" Myra pushed with all of the strength she had in her body, and the baby began to make its way into the world. "Good! Now stop pushing for a moment. The head is just about out. Good!" Myra panted as the contraction wore off for a moment.

"I don't think ya really understand just how much this hurts! Ohhhhhhh!" She moaned in pain again, and Grace helped Michaela to bring Myra's knees and legs back to support her pushes.

"Believe me, Myra, I understand," Grace said, momentarily reliving the three painful births she had gone through in the past five years with Robert Jr., Thomas and little Anthony.

"No! I don't think ya do!" Myra cried out. Michaela readied a pair of scissors to cut the cord with, and as soon as Myra and Horace's baby was pushed into the world, his cord was cut, and he was wrapped up and placed in Myra's arms.

"Congratulations!" Michaela exclaimed. "You have a healthy little boy!" Myra began to weep with happiness as her baby took his first breath and let out his first cry. Grace watched on with tears in her eyes, reliving the beautiful, glorious moments directly after the births of each of her boys. And just as she'd remembered happening for herself, Myra seemed to forget about all of the pain she'd gone through as she looked at her son for the first time.

Michaela cleaned Myra up as Grace took the baby for his first washing. Myra couldn't help but continue to cry as her son cried across the room. Horace was about to go crazy out in the hallway, but Michaela would deliver the news to him soon enough. She knew that just hearing the cries would be a sign to him that everything was alright.

Soon, mother and child were reunited, and Michaela and Grace were gathering up the dirty towels and blankets.

"He's beautiful, Myra," Michaela whispered. "Shall I go tell Horace?"

"Oh!" Myra exclaimed with wide eyes. "He's gotta be burstin' at the seams already!" Michaela grinned, and she and Grace journeyed out into the hallway. Horace was leaning against the wall for support.

"How's Myra?" he asked immediately.

"Your wife and child are both perfectly healthy," Michaela said with a smile. "I can't believe it went so fast! Most first time mothers have a very long labor and delivery."

"So, I'm a pa?" he asked with wide eyes. Michaela nodded.

"Yes. Congratulations, Horace!" Out of excitement, Horace grabbed both Michaela and Grace and hugged them at the same time.

"Oh!" he exclaimed, breaking away. "Is it a boy or a girl?"

"You have a little boy," Michaela replied, patting his shoulder. Horace looked as if he'd stopped breathing. All of his life, he'd wanted a son, and now he had one! He stumbled into the bedroom, and Michaela and Grace both looked at each other and laughed happily.

"I'm so happy for 'em," Grace said as she and Michaela made their way across the street to the clinic with the dirty towels and blankets.

"Every time I help bring a new life into the world," Michaela began with a dream look in her eyes, "I just get this incredible feeling of happiness and fulfillment. It makes me feel as if everything is right with the world."

"Well, from what I've seen, Dr. Mike, you're a good doctor. Don't ever let nobody tell you no different."

* * *

At around noon, Michaela had alreadycleaned herself up after delivering Myra and Horace's son, whom they had named Samuel Horace Bing. She was feeling refreshed, but quite nervous considering the fact that she was about to attempt a surgery that she had never performed before. She was tired despite the few hours of sleep she had gotten earlier that morning, but she had to keep a steady hand during the surgery.

Sully hadn't come into town that day, and Michaela figured that was for the best, seeing as she found it difficult to concentrate when he was around, though she didn't want to admit it to herself. It was best that she have a clear head and concentrate on getting Jake through the surgery and out of his coma.

Reverend Johnson was sitting with Michaela. He had promised to be there to pray for Jake during the surgery, and since Michaela needed an extra pair of hands to administer the chloroform, she had invited him to sit inside. He hadn't been sure of it at first, but he knew that Jake's physical and spiritual needs needed to be cared for at the same time.

Meanwhile, outside, several concerned citizens were gathered out on the clinic porch to wait out Jake's surgery. Hank was silently taking bets on whether or not Jake would die under the lady doctor's knife. He, of course, was betting against Jake's favor, though he didn't want his friend to die. He just wanted to cause a stir amongst the crowd.

As Sully pulled the wagon into town, he noticed several folks gathered outside of the clinic. His first assumption was that something bad had happened to Michaela. He helped the kids out of the wagon and carried Brain toward the group while Matthew and Colleen ran ahead. Grace and Robert E. came walking over with their boys.

"What's goin' on?" Sully wondered.

"Jake's havin' surgery," Robert E. pointed out. "Dr. Mike's cuttin' on his brain." Grace looked down at her two oldest sons.

"Boys, why don't ya both go play with Colleen and Matthew?"

"Okay Ma," the two replied together. The hurried over while Grace adjusted Anthony on her hip.

"Apparently he fell when he was drunk and hit his head. She said somethin' 'bout a bruise in his brain," Robert E. pointed out. "He ain't woke up since me and Hank found 'im last night."

"Sure looks like they're gonna be in there for a while," Grace pointed out. "The Reverend's in there with her, and he's prayin' for Jake." Sully nodded.

"Dr. Mike's a good doctor," Sully said quietly. "If anyone can help Jake, she can." Grace and Robert E. went on toward the crowd, and when Sully saw Matthew and Colleen playing with Robert Jr. and Thomas on the porch of the mercantile, he decided that he'd stick around until the surgery was over. He was sure Michaela would need a friend after performing such a seemingly difficult operation.

As he walked over to sit on a bench outside of the telegraph office to keep an eye on the children and the goings on at the clinic, he bounced little Brian on his knee and tried to keep himself busy. It wasn't long before Abagail Bray came strolling along wearing her nicest Sunday dress. She had actually seen Sully, run upstairs and changed into the dress as quickly as she possibly could.

"Afternoon, Sully," she said with a smile. "Mind if I sit down for a spell? It's awful hot today."

"Go ahead," Sully replied, scooting over to make room for the young girl. She smiled at him before she decided to be a bit bolder.

"Ya know, my Ma and Pa are plannin' on sendin' me off to college in three weeks," Abagail started.

"So I heard." She sighed when it sounded as if he had no interest in whether or not she stayed or went. "It'll be good for ya."

"But I'd rather stay here. I always figured I'd settle down and get married after I got done with my schoolin' here in town. I always thought it'd be nice to have lots of children right away."

"Well, maybe if ya go to college, you can meet somebody. I ain't seen ya take any of the fellas at your school's offers for courtin'."

"Oh, they're just boys," Abagail said quietly. "They ain't grown up or even men yet." Sully grinned at Brian as the baby made a funny noise. Abagail tried to keep her nerves steady, but they were wearing thin. She scooted closer to Sully, but he didn't seem to notice.

"Well, ya never know, Abagail," Sully said, clearing his throat. "Maybe ya might go off and do somethin' real special with your life. Look at Dr. Mike. She's proof that there's more to life than just getting married and havin' kids. She's a doctor, and I gotta say that goin' through all she went through to get where she is today is somethin' to admire." Abagail felt jealousy seeping through her veins once again. What was so special about Dr. Mike? Sure, she was a doctor, but what could she possibly offer Sully?

"Well, maybe I ain't as perfect as Dr. Mike," Abagail replied, standing up irately. Sully looked up at her as she crossed her arms across her chest.

"Somethin' botherin' ya, Abagail?" he wondered. She shook her head. "I didn't mean for that to sound bad. Nobody's perfect though. I ain't perfect. You ain't perfect. Dr. Mike ain't either."

"Well, ya don't gotta go 'round actin' like she's better than everybody else just 'cause she's from Boston!" Abagail replied before she stormed off toward the mercantile.

"I'm not . . ." Sully began to call after her. But, Brian began to cry, and he knew it was time for a changing. So, without a second thought, he took Brian back to the wagon where he could change his diaper.

Meanwhile, an infuriated Abagail stormed up to her bedroom and threw herself onto her bed. It wasn't fair! It just wasn't fair. She hated the fact that she wasn't the one that Sully admired. Suddenly, she hated being from Colorado Springs. She wished she'd been born in Boston. Maybe then Sully would love her. Was that what it took? If being a proper lady like Dr. Mike was what it took, then, Abagail decided, that was exactly what she was going to be.


	7. Chapter Seven

**Chapter Seven**

That night, Jake was resting comfortably upstairs, but he hadn't woken up. Hank had lost at least twenty dollars by betting that Jake wouldn't make it off of the table. And now that he was upstairs and in the recovery room, all everyone had to do was wait.

The rest of Colorado Springs seemed to be going on about their lives as if nothing had happened to their barber. Hank had started a game of poker, so most of the men, excluding Robert E. and Horace, were at the saloon having cigars and whiskey as they gambled.

Michaela looked at herself in the mirror and saw that she looked worse than she had before she got a bit of sleep early that morning. She needed sleep, but she couldn't sleep in case Jake was to wake. She didn't want him to wake up alone.

As she made her way down the stairs, she decided to go over to Grace's to get a bite to eat. As she was walking out of the hall after coming downstairs, she was surprised to find that her examination table had been pushed aside, and a blanket had been spread out on the floor. In the center of the blanket was a picnic basket. Two candles sat nearby. She was automatically confused, but when she saw Sully walk in from outside with something behind his back and a bouquet of flowers in his other hand, she put two and two together. She couldn't help but smile at him. What a sweet gesture!

"Sully?" she watched as he moved around the blanket and extended the bouquet to her. She didn't know what to say! She was completely taken by surprise. She had to admit that she liked Sully's wonderful gesture, but it frightened her a little. She wasn't at all expecting flowers and a picnic after only knowing him a little over a week! "What is this all about?"

"Well, I just figured ya might be hungry, and ya had a long day." He smiled as she took the flowers from his hand.

"You're right," she said with a smile and a sparkle in her eyes. "I'm very hungry." She looked around. "Candles?"

"Well, we can't eat in the dark now, can we?" Sully asked. "'Sides, I didn't wanna make ya run low on oil in your lamps." She had to giggle at his very poor excuse. He was being so incredibly sweet!

"Where are the children?"

"Grace and Robert E. are lookin' after 'em 'til we're done eatin'." She grinned. "Ya didn't think I was gonna let ya eat alone, did ya?" Michaela sniffed the flowers and inhaled the sweet scent.

"If only I had a vase to put these in," she said with a sigh, remembering that her only vase had been broken.

"Who says ya don't?"

"My only vase was the one that Matthew accidentally broke, remember?" she asked.

"Ya mean, this vase?" He pulled the vase out from behind his back. Michaela's eyes went wide. She could see that he'd put a great deal of effort in piecing it back together.

"Oh! Sully, you fixed it!" She grinned happily, taking the beautiful vase into her hands. She put the flowers inside. "Are you sure it won't leak?"

"Give it a try," Sully suggested positively. Michaela glanced curiously at him for a moment before pouring water from a pitcher into the vase. When no leaks or water droplets formed, Michaela was even more impressed! She looked at him nervously for a moment before standing on her tiptoes to give him a kiss on the cheek.

"Thank you," she said quickly as she pulled away. Sully stood frozen for a moment as she moved to sit on the picnic blanket. The feel of her lips on his cheek was so amazing, and it made him long to know what it felt like to have her lips pressed against his. "Sully?" He realized that he was standing in the exact same place and hadn't moved for quite a few moments. He finally gained his composure and sat down across from Michaela on the blanket.

He noticed that her cheeks were flushed red, and he couldn't help but smile as they dug into the basket and pulled out plates of Grace's finest cooking. They ate in silence, catching quick glances between bites. Michaela felt her heart beating so quickly and thought for sure that Sully would be able to hear it. Little did she know that he was just as nervous. He had never courted anyone before, let alone someone from a completely different world. Boston and Colorado Springs seemed to be as different as day and night, so he was feeling completely under pressure. He knew he was falling in love with her, but he wasn't sure if Michaela could ever reciprocate his feelings.

"Sully?" Michaela wondered, taking a sip of cider from a glass that Sully had had Grace pack in the basket. She had noticed that he seemed full of thought, but none of those thoughts were coming to the surface in any form of a conversation.

"Yeah?" he asked, clearing his throat.

"Is something the matter?"

"Why do ya ask?"

"You just seem to be thinking about something. I know you don't have to . . . but would you like to tell me?" He shook his head.

"It's nothin'." Michaela felt a bit disappointed. Having Sully there to talk to was something she'd come to really enjoy over the course of the past week. She only wished that he wouldn't hold back when he looked as if he really wanted to say something.

Outside of the clinic, Abagail was returning from a late night stroll about town. As she was passing the clinic, she happened to notice the shimmer of a candle's flame on the glass of the window. She held her breath and stepped closer. As she peered into the dim clinic, she gasped when she saw Michaela and Sully sitting upon the floor eating dinner by candlelight.

"No," she breathed, tears forming in her eyes. "This isn't happening." She closed her eyes, wishing it was all a bad dream, but when she opened them again, she saw the same scene. They were talking! What were they talking about? She decided to wait and watch. She had to know if there was truly something going on between Michaela and Sully or if that something was going to start on this evening.

"You're sure you don't want to talk about it?" she asked as her eyes searched his. Suddenly, she felt shy and awkward. She wasn't sure if this was the proper thing to be discussing. As a matter of fact, she knew it wasn't proper to be thinking of anything besides friendship at this moment, but she couldn't help it. She felt free when she was with him. He was so kind and gentle, and she wanted to know more about him. She already knew that there was much more to Sully than met the eye.

"I'm sure," Sully replied. The truth to the matter was that he wasn't sure. He wished he could tell her how he was feeling, but she'd probably think he was crazy or worse if he began pouring his heart out to her. They had become friends from the start, and he didn't want to ruin that.

"Well, why don't you tell me more about you?" That was definitely something much easier for him to talk about. Well, it was easier than talking about his feelings at the moment anyway.

"What do ya wanna know?"

"Well, your first name isn't Sully, is it?"

"No," he replied, nearly choking on his cider.

"Well, do you mind telling me what it is?" she asked. When he nearly choked again, she raised an eyebrow. "It can't be that bad."

"It is. Trust me."

"Come on," Michaela urged. The look in her eyes was one that made Sully want to tell her everything about himself and more! When she looked at him with her beautiful eyes that sparkled with happiness and warmth, he only wished he had a book with all the answers to every question in the world to read to her.

"Ya don't wanna know."

"Sure I do. What is it?" She was really curious now! He sighed heavily and shook his head.

"Byron."

"Byron?" She cocked her head to the side and furrowed her brows. "You don't look like a Byron."

"I know. That's why I ain't goin' by 'Byron.'" Michaela giggled. "See, I knew I didn't need to tell ya. I knew you were gonna laugh at me!" He was just playing around, and Michaela knew it.

"No! I really like your name, but I prefer 'Sully' better."

"Good," Sully replied with a grin. "'Cause I don't think I woulda cared much for it if ya woulda insisted on callin' me 'Byron.'" After a moment of silence, he spoke up again. "Now ya gotta answer one of my questions."

"What? I didn't say anything about me answering _your_ questions," Michaela said with a giggle.

"C'mon. It ain't bad. I promise."

Abagail practically had her ear pressed up against the glass as she waited for Sully's question and Michaela's answer.

"Well, alright then," Michaela said with a sigh, situating herself in a more comfortable position on the blanket. "Go on." Sully thought for a moment, wanting to find the right question to ask.

"Alright. What's been your favorite thing 'bout livin' in Colorado Springs so far?" Michaela took a sip of cider and peered across the rim of the glass at Sully. He now cocked his head to the side to await her answer. The look on his face was priceless, and she only wished there was a way to capture it forever. He looked like a child waiting for the answer to a question that he felt was the most important, and feeling proud to know that he was about to know the answer. "What?"

"Nothing," Michaela said with a grin, placing her glass back down on the floor. "Alright. The best part of living in Colorado Springs, you say?"

"Mhm," he answered with a nod, placing his empty plate back into the basket. He suddenly felt anxious, hoping that she'd say that he was the best part of living in Colorado Springs. His brain told him he was foolish for thinking such a thing. There was no way a woman like Dr. Michaela Quinn was going to say such a thing to a man she'd just met a week ago.

"Well, I'd have to say that the best part about living in Colorado Springs is the fact that there are so many nice people here." She felt herself blushing when the first person that came to mind was Sully. He noticed her face flushing as well, but he knew better than to call her on it. "I feel like I've already made some good friends, and I hadn't expected that."

"Same here," Sully replied with a smile. Michaela felt herself growing warm inside just by the way Sully was looking at her. She felt as if she was coming under some kind of a spell. "Never met nobody like you before, Dr. Mike."

"I could say the same thing about you," she replied softly. She felt herself leaning closer to Sully, and he felt the exact same force bringing him closer to her.

Abagail saw what was about to happen, and she had to stop it!

As their lips were nearly a breath apart, a loud screech from outside was heard, and that screech was immediately followed by a splash. Michaela stood abruptly, nearly knocking heads with Sully. She put her hand over her mouth, feeling like a foolish girl for what had nearly happened. She felt like she should apologize, but she knew that something had happened outside that needed her attention. So, she rushed out the door with Sully close behind her.

What they found was quite a sight. Abagail Bray was trying hopelessly to get out of a horse trough.

"Abagail?" Michaela asked quickly, her face still flushed from the near-kiss inside of the clinic. Sully immediately moved to help Abagail out, and she eagerly reached for his hand.

"What happened to ya?" Sully asked, even though it was as plain as day that she'd fallen in. Abagail thought quickly and tried to stand, feeling pain throbbing in her ankle.

"Ow!" she yelped, wrapping her arms around Sully's neck. He picked her up so she wouldn't have to put pressure on her foot. "Um, some rowdy boy from school ran by and just pushed me in. Told ya the fellas at school ain't grown up."

"Want me to go find 'im?" Sully asked.

"No, that's alright. He's probably clear home by now." Sully and Michaela exchanged glances.

"Let's bring her inside," Michaela said quickly.

"Nah, I'm fine," Abagail replied, wincing in pain again.

"I don't believe that painful look on your face says that you're fine." Sully followed Michaela into the clinic with a soaking wet Abagail. Michaela quickly moved the picnic items out of the center of the floor and pushed her examination table back to it's original spot, being care to avoid knocking over the two lit candles.

"Oh my!" Abagail exclaimed. "I ain't interruptin' anything, am I?" She had to stop herself from smiling, but that wasn't too difficult, considering the fact that the pain was real! Michaela and Sully exchanged glances as Sully went about lighting lamps and picking up the remnants of the picnic that had been interrupted.

"No," Michaela said, blushing a bit. She moved her hand to the young girl's ankle. Abagail jumped a bit and finally relaxed.

"It ain't broke, is it?" Michaela shook her head.

"No, but you've certainly twisted it! It looks like you're going to be fairly sore for at least three weeks."

"Perfect," Abagail mumbled. "That's when I go off to college." She rolled her eyes. Michaela only smiled.

"Well, you'll be healed just in time then," the doctor replied. She began to wrap the girl's ankle tightly. "Sully?"  
"Hmm?"

"Would you reach into that closet and find a pair of crutches?"

"Crutches?" Sully asked. Michaela nodded.

"They'll help support her as she walks." Sully found what Michaela was asking for and brought them out."

"Can I go home now?" Abagail wondered.

"Of course. Would you like to try walking on these?"

"Maybe tomorrow," Abagail said quietly. "I'm real tired." She looked up at Sully.

"I'll take her on home," Sully said quietly. "I best be goin' home anyway." Abagail's eyes brightened.

"Alright," Michaela said with a smile. Sully scooped Abagail up into his arms, and she held on tightly as he placed the crutches under one arm to carry. Michaela swallowed hard. "Thank you for everything tonight. Fixing that vase for me was very sweet of you." Sully smiled, his eyes saying much more than words, and he left with Abagail in his arms.

Sully crossed over toward the mercantile to find Loren standing on the porch with a cigar in one hand. He'd obviously left Hank's poker game a bit early.

"Abby? What on earth happened to ya?"

"She fell in a horse trough," Sully said with a grin. "Twisted her ankle."

"I was pushed," she insisted. Sully nodded.

"Right. She was pushed." Loren raised an eyebrow. "Ya probably ought to take her up to her room. She's gonna be mighty sore for awhile." Loren nodded. Sully gently placed Abagail down and handed her the crutches. "Try to take it easy, Abagail." She nodded, smiling at him with a look of puppy love in her eyes. Once Sully was out of earshot, Loren turned to his daughter.

"Abby, ya best give up on him."

"No! I won't!" Loren sighed.

"Alright, well, let's just hope that that ankle of yours is healed by the time ya go off to college."

"It will be. Dr. Mike said it'd probably be a few weeks."

"Good. So you'll get to dance at your party."

"My party?" she asked, her eyes brightening again.

"Your goin' away party," Loren said with a nod. "It was s'posed to be a surprise, but I figured I'd give ya somethin' to look forward to." He tossed his cigar off into the street, picked his daughter up carefully and stared inside so he could take her to her room. The wheels in Abagail's head began to turn. Not only was she going to become the perfect proper young lady, but she was going to have one final chance at getting Sully to ask for her hand if he didn't do so by the end of three weeks. They would dance, and when they would gaze into each other's eyes, Sully would fall in love with her. It had to work! It always worked in all of those books she'd secretly read in the mercantile! Suddenly, she couldn't wait for three weeks to come and go.

* * *

Just as Michaela was about to start turning down the lamps and blowing out the candles, a knock came to her door. Now what was it! She needed sleep, though she couldn't let a possible patient know that. So, she opened the door and was surprised to see Sully again.

"Sully? What are you doing back here?" Michaela wondered nervously. She hoped that he wasn't back to finish what they had started, because frankly, she didn't feel think she felt ready to take their friendship to another level just yet.

"I forgot to get Grace's picnic basket," he said sheepishly. "I promised her I'd bring it back when I came for the kids."

"Oh, right," the doctor said softly. She let Sully in, and he picked up the things he'd brought along earlier. "It was a lovely idea, Sully."

"But ya ain't sorry it got interrupted," Sully assumed, immediately regretting his words. "I mean . . ." They both chuckled nervously. "I'm sorry if I was forward."

"No, you were fine, Sully. You were very sweet, and I appreciated the gesture. I needed some relaxation after such a trying day." Sully smiled.

"I'm glad ya had a good time." Michaela nodded as Sully stepped outside. "I'll see ya tomorrow?"

"Yes. See you tomorrow." She closed the door slowly and leaned against after she had done so. She knew that her dreams were going to be quite interesting on this evening!

* * *

By the time Michaela woke the next morning, Jake still hadn't woken up. She was growing more and more concerned, because she knew that if he didn't wake soon, it was likely that he never would.

She was also growing more and more frustrated with herself, second-guessing the actions she had taken during the surgery. She kept asking herself all of the 'what if' questions, and it wasn't helping Jake at all.

The sound of the school bell let her know that the Cooper children were on their way to school. Perhaps that meant that Sully would be dropping by. She sure hoped so, though she couldn't help but blush every time she thought of what had almost happened the night before.

"Dr. Mike?" came a voice from downstairs. She recognized that voice as Loren Bray's. She quickly made her way down the stairs to meet him.

"Good morning, Mr. Bray. How is Abagail this morning?"

"Oh, she's doin' alright. She didn't wanna go to school today, but I told her she ain't missin' no more 'til school lets out for the summer at the end of the week. "She's really tryin' to get outta goin' to college."

"I can tell she isn't happy about going," Michaela noted. Loren nodded and sighed a bit.

"Well, she'll get used to it once she gets to Denver, she'll start feelin' better." Loren shuffled nervously in his spot.

"What can I do for you? Are you feeling ill?"

"No," Loren said quickly. "I came to see how Jake's doin'." Michaela let out a sigh of disappointment and slightly shook her head.

"I'm afraid there's been no change, but you're welcome to go sit with him."

"Thanks," Loren replied bleakly. He started up the stairs, while Michaela sat down at her desk to look over her medical books. There had to be some way to get Jake to wake up. She had done everything she could think of to physically help him, and she knew that opening him back up for another surgery would almost certainly prove fatal for the barber.

She didn't know Jake, and she didn't know if he was a fighter, but she certainly knew that he wasn't fighting now. Maybe he didn't want to wake up. After all, he would drink until he'd pass out. Maybe he had just wanted to die. But, she couldn't give up on him. She took an oath when she became a doctor, and she had to do whatever she had to in order to heal her patient.

She was about to search through another medical textbook, but a knock came to the door, followed by a shrill cry. She got up and quickly came to the door.

"Horace? Myra?" she asked as she came face to face with the very tired new parents.

"Mornin' Dr. Mike," Myra said with tears in her eyes as baby Samuel cried in her arms.

"Myra? What's the matter?"

"Oh, I don't know! He won't stop cryin', and I've tried everything! I ain't slept since the night before he was born! I can't even walk 'round the house without him cryin'!"

"It's true," Horace said with a nod. Myra elbowed him in the arm. "Ow!"

"What would you know! You don't gotta walk around all day with him! You get to go to work!"

"Well, it ain't like I can get away from the cryin'!" he snapped tiredly. "Dr. Mike, ya gotta do somethin'!" Michaela had to bite her lip to keep from laughing, but her eyes showed that she was slightly amused. She reached out and took baby Samuel from his mother's arms.

"Let's see what we have here." As she placed the little one on the examination table, she took him from his swaddling and began to gently press on his tummy. She was pleased that her first assumptions were correct. "Has he been eating well?"

"Yeah," Myra said, rubbing her tired, bloodshot eyes.

"Have you been burping him after he eats?"

"Huh?" Myra asked, a look of realization coming over her face.

"Sometimes, when babies are nursing, they swallow air that makes them feel some discomfort. Always remember to hold him up and burp him," Michaela explained. "Like this." She held the baby in a way to show the parents, and a moment later, Samuel let out an impressive belch and his crying tapered off until he was sleeping.

"I knew that," Myra whispered. "Why didn't I remember to do it?" She began to cry. "Dr. Mike, am I a terrible mother!"

"Of course not!" Michaela exclaimed, putting a hand on the young woman's shoulder. "You're just new parents. You'll get used to every cry and noise your baby makes. Believe me, I've seen my sisters react the same way with their children." Myra dried her tears, and Horace put an arm around her.

"Ya see, I told ya he was gonna be alright." Myra nodded and took her baby back into her arms. She placed two dollars down on the examination table.

"That's not necessary," Michaela said quickly.

"Sure it is. Ya made sure my baby boy made it into the world safely. We ain't got much, but we thought we owed ya somethin'." Michaela decided that accepting the money was probably a good idea considering the fact that the amount of money she'd brought from Boston was quickly decreasing.

"May I make a suggestion?"

"Sure," Myra replied.

"Whenever the baby is sleeping, you should sleep," Michaela said with a smile. "Try to rest while he's resting, otherwise you'll never get any sleep."

"Ya sure know a lot about babies, Dr. Mike," Horace said with a smile.

"Well, I don't have much experience with them, but I know that my sisters have recommended the same things. Though, I think they were just pushing that I get married and have a family. I'm sure my mother paid them to try to convince me." She grinned, and Myra laughed a little.

"Thanks Dr. Mike."

"Don't hesitate to come back if you have any questions." Myra nodded, and the Bing family left the clinic. Just as the door was shutting, Loren came rushing down the stairs.

"Dr. Mike!" he exclaimed, bursting into the room.

"What is it?" Michaela asked with immediate alarm.

"It's Jake! I think he's wakin' up!"

* * *

Mrs. Simmons had called a half-hour recess and lunch for her students, and while Matthew and Colleen ran across town to the café to have lunch with their father and baby brother, Abagail Sully took a seat at one of the picnic tables and leaned her crutches against the side of the table. She opened up her lunch pail and began to pick at her sandwich. She wasn't really hungry at all. All she could think about was how Sully and Michaela had come so close to kissing the night before. They would have if she hadn't intervened with her dramatic fall into the horse trough.

"Hey Abagail," came a voice from nearby. Abagail looked up from her mutilated sandwich to see a young man from her class standing there. He smiled at her and walked closer. His name was Martin Johnson, and he had had a crush on Abagail since they were five years old. He was sweet as could be, and he never once asked her to go for a stroll due to his incredible shyness. She was quite surprised when he approached her on this day.

"Martin? Do ya wanna sit down? I mean . . . would you like to sit down?" She was trying her best to talk like the Boston doctor, but her accent was slipping quite a bit.

"Do ya mind?"

"I don't," she replied with a laugh. "C'mon. I could use some company." He noticed how she was wearing a fancy dress, one even prettier than the one she usually wore to church on most Sundays.

"Ya look real pretty today," he said shyly.

"Why thank you," Abagail said with a smile. "I borrowed it from my father's store this morning. If I'm going off to college, I must wear clothes that are suitable."

"Ya ain't at college yet, so why are ya talkin' and dressin' like that?"

"Oh, but I must become accustomed to dressing the part of a proper college student," she insisted. She was quite proud of herself! That book on proper grammar and etiquette she had been looking over was beginning to pay off!

"Alright," Martin replied quietly. He couldn't help but notice how the sun made her black hair shine. "Well, I was wonderin' if maybe . . . if maybe ya might wanna come to Grace's for pie after school." He looked away, figuring she would turn him down. After all, she always turned down offers like his from the other boys at school. As a matter of fact, she actually would have turned him down if it hadn't been for her catching a glimpse of Sully at the café, smiling and talking with Colleen and Matthew.

"Well," Abagail considered. "If you wouldn't mind waiting. It will take me awhile to walk over there with my books and crutches."

"Well, I'd be honored to carry you're books for ya, Abagail," Martin said hopefully, his green eyes sparkling. He was cute, Abagail had to admit, and her age. He wasn't like the other boys in her class, but she still only had eyes for Sully. Perhaps spending time with Martin and acting like a proper lady would convince Sully of his true feelings. Perhaps he would realize that he loved her all along, and would try to steal her away from Martin.

"Well then, I would be honored to join you for lunch, Martin Johnson."

"Ya would!" he asked happily. He cleared his throat and tried not to sound so eager. "I mean, ya would?"

"Yes, I would be delighted!"

"Well, can I ask a favor then?"

"Yes?"

"Please don't talk like that at lunch. I like ya just the way ya always been." Abagail sighed and nodded.

"Alright. I'll be the same ol' Abagail," she said in her usual vernacular.

"Great," Martin concluded. "I'll see ya after school then." He started to get up.

"Wait!" He sat back down. "Keep me company?"

"Really? Me?"

"Who else do ya think I'm talkin' to, silly?" Abagail asked. She smiled and batted her eyes. As several other jealous young men from school watched on, Abagail Bray finally looked as if she was showing an interest in someone her own age. They didn't know what it was about him, but from now on, they were going to talk to Martin about how on earth he, of all of the boys, brought a smile to Abagail's face.

As they continued their lunch, Abagail thought of Sully, while Martin talked with her about his family. She would nod and try to pay attention, but her eyes kept darting over to where Sully sat at the café. Martin was such a sweet young man, and she knew that he would definitely be able to help her win Sully's heart.


	8. Chapter Eight

**Chapter Eight**

Jake groaned as a hand moved to the bandage around his head. Loren sat nervously at his friend's bedside.

"Jake? The doc fixed ya right up." Michaela sat down at Jake's side and began to check his reflexes before he opened his eyes. He seemed to be recovering well!

"What doc?" he asked slowly. He groaned and slowly began to open his eyes.

"Welcome back, Mr. Slicker," Michaela said with a pleased smile. Jake heard the woman's voice, but he was so groggy and sore that he couldn't react quickly. He vaguely remembered a woman doctor coming to talk with him, and he also remembered shutting her out every time.

"What the Hell'd ya do to me?"

"She saved your life," Loren pointed out. Jake remembered falling down the stairs in a drunken stupor.

"Yeah?" he asked.

"That's right," Loren confirmed.

"Well," Jake gasped, "thanks for nothin'."

"You don't mean that, Jake," Loren said quickly as Michaela was taken aback.

"Ya shouldn'ta even bothered."

"I did my job, Mr. Slicker," Michaela pointed out. Jake glanced at Loren.

"Ya actually let a woman cut on me? How could ya, Loren?"

"It was Hank and Robert E. who found ya," Loren replied hastily. "They brought ya here."

"Loren, would you mind waiting in the hall, please?" Michaela requested. Loren nodded and patted his friend on his shoulder.

"It's good to have ya back, Jake." Loren left the room, closing the door as he went.

"Mr. Slicker, I need to examine your stitches." She went to touch the bandages on his head, but his hand grabbed her wrist, shocking her slightly. She didn't expect such a firm grip from a neurological patient who'd just woken from a coma. "Mr. Slicker, please!"

"Just leave me alone!"

"I'm afraid I can't do that. You are my patient, and I am your doctor. I have to check your stitches."

"You ain't my doctor," Jake spat. Michaela was becoming increasingly agitated with this man. She'd heard he was difficult, but she had had no idea until this very moment. He was a lot more stubborn that she had figured he would be. He tried to sit up, but the pain became too great. Michaela shook her head.

"Mr. Slicker, please try to relax."

"If ya want me to relax, you're gonna have to get me some whiskey."

"I don't have any whiskey, and I'm afraid that whiskey has done you more harm than good." Michaela moved to try to examine Jake's stitches again, but he pushed her hand away.

"I told ya not to touch me!" He winced in pain, and his head fell back against the pillow. Michaela didn't know what to say, and she knew that he obviously didn't appreciate the fact that a woman doctor had operated on him. She only hoped that someday he would come to realize that not only had she operated on him, but she had saved his life as well.

"You must be hungry. I'll pick up some soup for you at Grace's." Realizing that he wasn't going to be able to move around much for a while, Jake finally nodded and waited for the doctor to leave before he attempted to sit up in his bed. He didn't want to spend any more time in the clinic, and he only hoped that whatever the doctor had done to him hadn't messed up something.

Meanwhile, Michaela walked out of the clinic after telling Loren it would be best to let Jake get some sleep. She watched as Loren slowly walked across toward the mercantile, and she spotted Hank standing on the saloon porch, eyeing the window of the room Jake was staying in.

She walked toward Grace's, trying to figure out how she was going to take care of Jake without his permission. She supposed that it was his life, and he needed to make the decision of his treatment, but she felt like there had to be more she could do to help him. He was an alcoholic, that was for sure, and she knew that if he didn't sober up, the next fall he might take down the stairs would surely kill him.

She entered Grace's Café, and the older woman automatically noticed a look of uncertainty upon her face.

"What can I get for ya, Dr. Mike?"

"I'd like a bowl of soup for a patient, please," she said quietly, searching her money pouch for two bits.

"Comin' right up," Grace said quietly, ladling out some fresh soup into a bowl. "What's got ya so upset?"

"Is it that obvious?"

"Yeah," Grace said with a chuckle. "It's pretty obvious to me, anyway. What happened?"

"Jake Slicker woke up." Grace raised an eyebrow.

"Well, there's good news then."

"He says I shouldn't have bothered with him."

"That so?" Grace asked. She sighed, shaking her head a bit. "Jake ain't one to accept help so easy. I know that them four folks dyin' back 'fore you got here is what drove him to drink again. He might not show it, but he's scared. He's scared, 'cause folks always been comin' to 'im for things, and when those folks died, they stopped comin' 'round. He's ashamed of himself."

"It's awful to say, but . . ." She couldn't bring herself to say it, so Grace finished her sentence for her.

"He should feel ashamed?" Grace turned from the stove a moment. "Jake ain't my favorite person. He ain't nobody's favorite person, and I think he should feel ashamed. But, bein' angry ain't gonna bring back the people who died 'cause he was careless." Michaela nodded.

"I suppose you're right. Thank you for talking with me, Grace."

"Anytime, Dr. Mike. That's what friends are for, ain't it?" Michaela smiled gratefully at Grace, took the bowl of soup, and started back across town.

"Dr. Mike!" came a familiar voice that made Michaela's heart skip a beat. She felt her skin becoming warm from slight embarrassment, and she turned to see Sully jogging over toward her with Wolf at his heels.

"Sully?"

"Ya busy?"

"Actually, I'm taking this soup over for Mr. Slicker."

"He's awake?"

"Yes," Michaela replied with a slight smile. "He's not too happy about it, but I'm trying my best to keep him healthy. He's going to have a long road ahead of him. But, I believe that if he can stop drinking, he'll be able to physically recover much more quickly." Sully looked skeptical.

"Ya actually think you're gonna be able to convince Jake to stop drinkin'?" Sully wondered. "He ain't gonna like that."

"Well, it would be for his own good," she explained as they walked slowly toward the clinic. "I believe I can help him give up the habit."

"How?"

"Well, for one, I can have his closest friends hide or empty all of his whiskey bottles, and I can have Hank stop serving him." Sully nearly laughed.

"Dr. Mike, Hank ain't gonna stop servin' a payin' customer. Ya can't change people, ya know?"

"I can try," she replied crossly.

"Look, I'm just sayin' that if he's gonna give up drinkin', it's gonna have to be his choice."

"I know that," Michaela responded. "But I'm going to try to talk with him."

"Good luck," Sully said quietly. When they arrived at the clinic, Sully cleared his throat. "Dr. Mike?"

"Hmm?"

"Before ya go in, I was just wonderin' if I could ask ya somethin'."

"Of course," Michaela replied, waiting for Sully's question.

"Well, I was wonderin' . . . well, the kids were wonderin'," he began awkwardly. Michaela was patient, however, and she couldn't help but let her mind wander back to the night before. "Would ya like to join us for a picnic later today? I mean, the summer is endin' real soon, and it ain't too hot out."

"I'd love to," Michaela spoke up as to save Sully from possibly rambling and getting himself into an embarrassing situation. He couldn't believe how worried he was being. He had never acted like this. But then again, he'd never felt like this about anyone before.

"Ya would? I mean, you're sure ya ain't too busy?"

"I'm sure," Michaela replied. "After all, we didn't exactly get to finish the picnic we had last night." She hoped that hadn't sounded suggestive! She hadn't meant it that way. But, the way he smiled at her told her that he hadn't taken it the wrong way. "I'll see you around three?"

"Three," Sully agreed with a nod. She gave him a shy smile before disappearing inside of the clinic. Sully turned and walked away, feeling something lifted off of his chest. They weren't courting, but it was nice to know that she was willing to join him, well, along with the children of course, on a picnic. So, with the lovely lady doctor on his mind, he started over toward Grace's to talk to her about packing yet another picnic basket.

* * *

Michaela made her way into Jake Slicker's room above the clinic. He was sitting up in bed, and Hank was sitting in a chair near the bed. Michaela figured he would come in, and though she didn't mind Jake having visitors, she still felt uncomfortable around the tall, rough-mannered bartender.

"I've brought you some soup from Grace's."

"I ain't hungry right now," Jake grumbled. Hank snickered from his seat.

"If you want to build your strength, you'll eat. If you refuse, it's going to take you much longer to get out of here." She placed the bowl of soup down on the side table.

"I don't know 'bout that, doc. He was tryin' to get out when I came to see 'im," Hank pointed out. Michaela's glance went back and forth between the barber and the bartender.

"Well, the more you struggle the longer you'll be staying here. You need rest and food. If you take it easy like I've instructed you to do, you should be out of here in the matter of a week or two."

"Then I'm gonna need a drink. Hank, go fetch me a bottle of whiskey. I'll pay ya back later."

"Sure thing," Hank said with a dry laugh. He moved toward the door, and Michaela followed him. When she made it out into the hall, she shut the door behind herself.

"Hank, I need to speak with you."

"'Bout what? Need to take away another one of my girls?"

"Hank, this has nothing to do with Cassandra. This is about you."

"Me? What do ya got against me?" he asked sarcastically.

"You need to stop serving Jake," she pointed out. Hank nearly doubled over in laugher from that comment.

"Ya can't be serious."

"I'm very serious, Hank," Michaela replied, crossing her arms over her chest. Surely this man couldn't be so selfish as to keep his own friend's life in danger just to make a few extra dollars! "Jake nearly died in there. He has a serious problem, and I know that if you cut him off, he's going to try to find another way to get alcohol. If you could pay a little extra attention to your friend and make sure he stays sober, you could really play a part in saving his life!"

"Ya don't get it, do ya? He's my best payin' customer, and I ain't willin' to lose money just 'cause some crazy woman think she knows what she's talkin' about."

"The license I have to practice medicine says otherwise, Hank. What is it going to take to prove to you that I would do anything to make sure Jake survives?" Hank thought for a moment.

"Why don't ya pay his tab? I figure twenty bucks will cover it." Michaela didn't bat an eyelash.

"If that's what it takes to get you to watch out for Jake and make sure he stays sober, I'll do it. But if he so much as takes one little drink, the deal is off." A look of realization came over Hank's face.

"Ya really think this can help him, don't ya?"

"I do." Hank finally nodded. "You'll do it?"

"Yeah," he said quietly. She went to search through her money pouch again. "No. Don't. I just wanted to make sure you were really willin' to help 'im. Jake ain't been known to help many folks, so knowin' somebody's lookin' out for him . . . well, thanks, doc." Michaela slightly nodded.

"Don't thank me. Just help your friend." The went back into the room together to find Jake attempting to eat his soup.

"Ya finally talk some sense into that woman?" Jake asked.

"Jake, ya gotta take it easy."

"What?"

"The doc's right. Ya gotta rest, otherwise you'll have to stay cooped up in here even longer."

"Then get me a drink."

"Can't do that neither."

"What the Hell are ya talkin' about?" Jake asked angrily.

"Ya don't need to be drinkin'. Ya nearly died, Jake. Ya need to get better."

"Why the Hell are ya doin' this!" Hank swallowed hard.

"'Cause I'm your friend."

"Friend? I don't see no friend," Jake replied angrily, throwing his bowl to the ground, letting it shatter to pieces as the soup spilled everywhere. Jake glanced at Michaela, and she simply nodded, letting him know that he was doing the right thing.

* * *

Later that afternoon, Abagail's plan was already in motion. As Martin helped her over to the mercantile after they had pie at Grace's, she spotted her father standing on the porch with a broom. He looked pleased to see her with a young man who was of her age. Generally, fathers would be wary of young men who came to court their daughters, especially those who attended the little school in Colorado Springs. But, for one thing, Martin Johnson was a kind young man who never gave Loren a reason to dislike him. And another reason was that Abagail needed to spend time with people her own age, even though Loren didn't approve of most of the young ladies and men who were Abagail's age. They had always been trying to get her into some sort of trouble that all young folks would get into. Loren preferred for his daughter to stay as sweet as she was so he wouldn't have to punish her. He hated punishing his only child, but when he noticed that she was dressing up in clothes that were meant to be sold, he knew he had to have a talk with her.

"Abagail, ya know I don't like ya dressin' up in the clothes I'm s'posed to be sellin'."

"I'm sorry, Papa," she said softly. "I just wanted to look nice today." Her eyes moved to look at Martin, and Loren felt his heart leap a bit.

"Oh!" On the other hand, he didn't mind if she was using it to impress someone other than Sully. Loren was quite pleased that his daughter was with Martin. "Well, thanks for bringin' her home, Martin."

"It wasn't a problem, Mr. Bray," Martin replied. "Um, sir?" Loren raised and eyebrow. "I was wonderin', well, if it'd be alright with you . . . and Abagail too, if I could start callin' on her." Loren was quite impressed! Though he wasn't fond of any of the young men at Abagail's school, he was thankful that she was turning her attention to the most respectable one. Martin was definitely much more responsible than the others, and he wasn't out of reach like Sully was. Martin Johnson had an obvious liking for Abagail, and Loren had recognized it from the time Abagail and Martin were youngsters.

"Well, you're right. I s'pose that'd be up to my Abby," Loren pointed out, "but I wouldn't see no reason to object." Martin turned to Abagail, and she smiled at the young man. Going courting with Martin Johnson wouldn't be so bad, so why not? Perhaps Sully would grow jealous if he saw her spending all of her time with this young man!

"What do ya say, Abagail?" She smiled and put her hand on his arm softly.

"I'd like that, Martin."

"Ya would?" His eyes shined happily.

"Yeah. I would."

* * *

After cleaning up the mess Jake had made and sending Hank on his way to get rid of all of Jake's whiskey bottles and other alcoholic products, Michaela went to the café to pay Grace for the broken dish. After doing so, she spotted Sully coming over with the children trailing behind. Brian, of course, was sleeping in his arms.

"Hey Dr. Mike!" Matthew called. Michaela smiled.

"Hello children! Sully," she said with a smile.

"Oh, Sully!" Grace called out. "Here's your basket."

"How much'll that be?" Sully asked. Grace briefly looked back and forth between Sully and Michaela, sensing something deeper than friendly feelings. She thought it was sweet, and figured it would be nice if they both had someone special in their lives.

"Don't worry 'bout it."

"But I gotta pay ya somethin'."

"Then we'll worry 'bout it later," she replied with a smile. "I believe I've got other customers." She hurried off, and Michaela glanced at Sully. The man shrugged.

"That was kind of Grace."

"She's a good lady," he said with a nod. "Hey, would ya mind holdin' Brian? This basket's heavy, and ya got such a good way with 'im." Of course he could have managed his son and a basket at the same time, but he honestly just loved to see Michaela with the baby in her arms. She looked so natural and happy with him.

"Sure," Michaela replied with delight in her voice. She took the sleeping infant into her arms and held him close. Matthew and Colleen nudged each other knowingly as they looked at their father and the lady doctor.

Once they were at the meadow, Sully placed the blanket down, and the children helped to flatten out the corners. Everybody settled down upon the blanket, and Colleen helped her father serve all of the plates. Fried chicken was obviously Grace's special of the day.

Brian woke to the smell of food, and he began to fuss. Sully was impressed when Michaela immediately took action and gave him a bite of her potatoes. He smiled as Brian enjoyed the taste. The boy decided that he wanted more, and he stuck his entire hand in the pile of potatoes on Michaela's plate.

"Brian!" Sully exclaimed. But, he stopped from moving to pick up the boy when Michaela began to laugh her beautiful and melodious laugh.

"Don't worry. We'll share," Michaela assured Sully. She glanced down at little Brian. "Won't we?" Brian grinned and ended up smearing potatoes all over himself as he tried to put them in his mouth. Colleen and Matthew giggled with amusement as they ate their own food and watched their baby brother enjoy his.

"Sorry 'bout that," Sully offered sheepishly. Michaela shook her head.

"It's fine. I don't mind a bit. Now when he's older and knows better, I'll probably mind." She chuckled, and Sully couldn't help but think about Michaela still being in his life when the children were older. Michaela looked into Sully's eyes, seeing that he was thinking about her words. She hadn't thought they'd been very meaningful, but obviously he had thought so! So, as Sully, Michaela, and the children continued to eat, everyone enjoyed themselves. If passers-by wouldn't have known better, they probably would have thought the group was nothing but another family enjoying the beautiful weather.

Something caught Wolf's attention as Sully and Michaela were passing slices of pie around to the children and one another. A moment later, the normally subdued Wolf pounced and frolicked after a big yellow butterfly. This event did not go unnoticed to the children, and they looked as if they were itching to jump up and follow after Wolf on his little adventure.

Meanwhile, Martin and Abagail were slowly walking toward the school house where Abagail had forgotten her bonnet. She was walking skillfully on the crutches when she looked over to see Sully and the children eating with the new doctor.

"And then my Pa said . . ." Martin continued from his conversation about a trip his family had taken to Wyoming once. Abagail was paying absolutely no attention, and he sensed it when he saw her eyes darting to a spot in the meadow. "Abagail? Ain't ya listenin' to me?"

"Hmm?" she asked, turning her attention back to the young man.

"Ya best pay attention to where you're goin' too. There are lots of snake holes 'round here that your crutches might get stuck in."

"Right. Go on. What were ya sayin'?" As Martin began to repeat the statement he was making before he noticed Abagail's interest in something else, Abagail couldn't help but watch the picnic that the "happy family" was having. This couldn't go on forever, could it? She had to find some way to stop this blossoming . . . whatever it was!

Back at the picnic site, Sully noticed his children weren't touching their dessert.

"Somethin' wrong, kids? I ain't never seen the two of ya not eat dessert."

"Sorry Pa," Matthew said, keeping his eye on the frolicking Wolf. Sully and Michaela grinned at one another knowingly.

"Go on and play. We ain't promisin' your pie will still be here when ya get back though," Sully warned with a chuckle. Matthew and Colleen got up and ran further into the meadow after their loyal Wolf. Sully and Michaela began to laugh as Brian's little hand dug into the helping of pecan pie in front of Michaela.

"Brian," Sully said with a sigh. "C'mere, son." He brought the boy into his lap and began to clean off his hands with a cloth handkerchief. Michaela smiled as she watched the father and son together. Brian held up a sticky finger with some of the pie still on it. "Oh, ya wanna share?" Sully bent down and pretended to bite Brian's finger, but he cleaned his son's little finger off instead. Brian let out a giggle of delight, and Michaela felt her heart warm at the sweet little sight. Michaela took a couple of bites of her favorite pie and swallowed them down with cider. By the time her pie and cider were gone, Brian was cleaned up and crawling about in the grass.

"Good pie? I ain't got the chance to try it yet," Sully admitted.

"Yes. Pecan's my favorite," Michaela said with a smile.

"No kiddin'?" Sully asked. "I figured it was."

"How did you figure that?"

"I dunno. I just figured it was." Michaela smiled as a goofy grin appeared on his face.

"What?"

"Nothin'." He was certainly in a happy mood this afternoon! They heard Colleen's shriek's of laughter off in the distance.

"Do you suppose the children are alright?"

"They're fine," Sully replied, glancing over his shoulder to check on his kids. When he looked back at Michaela, he noticed such a beautiful sparkle in her eyes.

"Sully, I've been meaning to talk to you about something."

"What about?"

"Last night when you . . . I mean, when we almost . . ." she began, but she couldn't find the words. Somehow they didn't really matter anymore, and she found herself lost in his deep blue eyes. His lips were so soft looking, and she wondered what it would feel like to have them pressed against hers.

"Dr. Mike?" he asked as she grew silent.

"I'm sorry," she said, catching her breath. She realized she hadn't been breathing while she was in thought. She felt her face grow a slight shade of red.

"Ya don't gotta apologize," he said softly. "Look, I know what almost happened, and it didn't happen. So, there's nothin' to talk about." Michaela was trying to think of a way to leave the conversation they were having, and as she made a quick movement to reach for Brian, she spilled cider on the blanket.

"Oh!" she exclaimed as both she and Sully reached for the glass at the same time. "I'm sorry!"

"Nah, it's alright," he replied with a chuckle, moving away from the puddle that was inching toward him. "I'm used to worse things spillin' on me. With three kids around, it ain't easy to keep clean." They both began to laugh again, and just as they both leaned in to sop up the mess with the cloth napkins, they looked up, catching each other's gaze.

Michaela felt herself drawn to the handsome mountain man, and as Sully let out a soft exhale, they both leaned forward for a kiss, but just as their lips were about to meet, Colleen and Matthew's laughter startled them, followed by Wolf jumping onto the picnic blanket. Michaela and Sully quickly separated as the dog gobbled up the rest of the pie, stared at them, let his tongue loll out for a moment, and ran off. Just as the children arrived they turned back around, grinning from ear to ear from their happy little game. They started off after Wolf again.

"C'mon Pa, Dr. Mike!" Matthew called. Sully scooped Brian up into his arms, held a hand out to Michaela to help her stand, and the three started after Matthew, Colleen, and Wolf, laughing along the way.

Abagail, who was standing in the door of the empty school house, had witnessed the entire scene, and Martin noticed the tears in her eyes.

"Abagail? What's wrong?" he wondered. She swallowed hard.

"Nothin'," she whispered as her dreams of acting like a proper Boston lady went flying away. No. That farce wouldn't be good enough. She was going to have to spend every moment of her spare time with Martin. She had to make Sully jealous, and she had to think of a way to break up this possible relationship before it had the chance to properly begin.


	9. Chapter Nine

**Chapter Nine**

Three weeks flew by in no time, and as Michaela's business began to flourish little by little, her doctor/patient relationship with Jake Slicker did not. He had gone home after only four days in the clinic, and he had refused to let her check his stitches. She had had to check them while he was asleep on one occasion.

Luckily, Hank was sticking to his plan to help Michaela keep Jake sober. The barber had gone through a terrible withdrawal, but luckily, he was recovering well. She knew that he didn't trust her, and he still longed for a drink, but at least he was alive!

Michaela's other patients were doing well! Robert E.'s lumbago hardly bothered him, and he had let her know that he hadn't felt so healthy in years! He was quite happy to be without the pain. The three Smith boys had all been patients to Michaela, and they had all gotten the vaccinations they needed. Vaccinations had been a major topic over the past couple of weeks, and while most parents trusted the doctor to give their children immunizations against some diseases, others refused to let a woman doctor touch their children. Needless to say, most of those families had been single-father families.

Then there was baby Sam. After a few days, Samuel Bing had been called "Sam" by most of the folks in town, and at just a little over three weeks of age, he was a perfect little gentleman when it came to meeting folks. He slept most of the time, but in the privacy of the Bing family's home, he cried half of the night and barely let his mother and father get a wink of sleep.

Michaela and Sully's friendship was blossoming by the day, and though they hadn't had any near-kisses lately, they were definitely becoming more and more comfortable around one another. What neither one of them knew was that both Colleen and Matthew were pretty sure that the young doctor and their Pa were supposed to fall in love and get married. They figured it was just a matter of time and had decided almost from the start that they wouldn't mind it one bit!

"Why can't I go?" young Colleen asked as she stood upon her bed, while Sully straightened his tie in the mirror. He raised an eyebrow and strode across the room to stand by Colleen's bed. She had her hands on her hips and a displeased look upon her face.

"Is my tie straight?" Colleen's little fingers moved to do one final adjustment before she put her hands back on her hips.

"Ya look fine, Pa," she said. "Why can't I go?" Sully picked his daughter up and plopped her into a sitting position on her bed.

"I told ya it's just for the grown-ups."

"But Abby's goin'!" Matthew protested, walking in with an apple in one hand and a licorice stick in the other. Sully sighed.

"I thought I told ya you were havin' supper at the café with Grace and Robert E.?" Little did he know that Grace had convinced her husband to help her with the children that evening in order to give Michaela and Sully a little time alone. Perhaps it was a way to nudge them in the direction they both wanted to go.

"Ya did."

"So why are ya ruinin' your appetite?"

"Pa, dinner's two hours away, and I'm a growin' boy!" Matthew replied with a sigh. Sully had to chuckle at his son's words.

"Why ain't Grace and Robert E. goin'? And why does Abby get to go?" Colleen wondered.

"First of all, Abagail's goin' 'cause it's her goin' away party. Second of all, Grace and Robert E. are gonna be at the party early and then go home to spend the rest of the evenin' with their boys and the three of you."

"But we wanna go too," Colleen said with a sad frown.

"When you're a little older," Sully promised.

"He just don't want us goin' 'cause he wants to be alone with Dr. Mike," Matthew suggested with a sly grin. Colleen's eyes widened, and she looked at her brother. Together they teased their father.

"Ooooh! Dr. Mike and Pa, sittin' in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G," they sang. Sully rolled his eyes. The children had been bouncing off of the walls all afternoon, and he was afraid that they were going to be late.

"Alright, that's enough!" Sully said with exasperation. The children giggled, knowing their father wasn't truly angry with them. "Go on outside and get in the wagon." The two oldest children finally did as their father asked, and Sully picked up Brian from his crib. "Please tell me ya ain't gonna grow up." Brian gave him a two-toothed grin, and Sully walked out of the homestead with him.

* * *

Michaela stood in front of her mirror, wishing it was floor length so she could see how the rest of her dress looked. It was a beautiful light blue with delicate lace around the top and the neck. Her hair had been curled and done up in little ringlets, and she secretly hoped that she would look pleasing to Sully's eyes. 

She hadn't been able to help her thoughts recently. She was falling in love with a man she'd known for barely a month. She'd been falling in love with him for quite some time, and it didn't seem at all wrong or improper to her. Her dreams were usually filled with scenarios of him holding her in his arms and kissing her in the softest way, though she had yet to actually know the feeling of his lips upon hers.

A knock came at the door to her bedroom.

"Dr. Mike?" It was Grace!

"Come in," Michaela called. Grace stepped in wearing a beautiful rose-colored dress that Michaela admired very much! "What a beautiful dress, Grace!"

"Oh, this? I've had this old thing for years," Grace said with a grin. "Ya look real nice, Dr. Mike."

"Thank you."

"Hopin' to impress someone special?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Michaela lied with a mischievous grin upon her face as she did one last once-over in the mirror.

"Uh-huh," Grace said skeptically, raising an eyebrow. "So, me and Robert E. are watchin' Sully's kids tonight."

"You are?" Michaela asked quickly. "Why's that?"

"Well, we just offered. We thought it might give the two of ya a chance to talk."

"Why on Earth would we need to talk?" Michaela wondered. "We talk every day."  
"Ain't every day ya get the chance to be alone." Michaela rolled her eyes and shook her head, but she couldn't help but grin from ear to ear. Deciding to change the subject, Michaela moved over to put a shawl over her shoulders. With September finally settling in, there was a chill in the air.

"You know, I never was one to dress up for parties as a young girl."

"Oh no? Why's that?"

"I always had something better to be doing," Michaela admitted.

"Like what?"

"Like studying." Grace smiled and put her hands on her hips.

"Well, ya don't need to be studyin' now, so go on out there and have some fun. If I ain't mistakin', the party's gonna last a few more hours, and then Abagail's gotta catch the stagecoach." Michaela felt a knot forming in her stomach. What if Sully asked her to dance? She loved to dance, but she hadn't found much use for it in the past few years. What if she made a fool out of herself? She supposed that everyone had to make a fool out of themselves at some point or another. "I best be getting on home. Robert E. promised to put the boys down for a nap before Sully brings his children."

"Alright. I'll see you tomorrow, Grace."

"Bye," Grace said with a grin. "Don't have too much fun! Or have a lot of fun!"

"Oh you!" Michaela exclaimed, clearly unable to hide her embarrassment. Grace shut the door as she left, laughing happily. Michaela moved to the balcony and opened the doors. She glanced out toward the meadow where a dance floor had been built. Abagail was dancing away without any pain. Michaela was pleased that the girl's twisted ankle had healed just in time for her going away party.

Michaela hadn't had a going away party when she went off to college and then medical school at Abagail's age. Her father had insisted on throwing her one, but she highly doubted anyone would care to attend a party that was sending a woman off to further her education in hopes to become a doctor. So, Michaela left early one morning before her mother and sisters woke, and her father accompanied her to the train station. Thinking back on it upset her a little, but she knew that it had paid off well in the end. She had a stable practice, and though most of the patients she had weren't able to pay in cash all of the time, she was still receiving a fair share that could help her to make ends meet. It wasn't as if she'd been accepted fully into the town yet, and though most of the men still strayed away from her, the ladies were becoming comfortable with her.

She hadn't forgotten about the Reverend and his generous gift of the boarding house either, so she was making payments to him when she could. He would always insist that she keep the money, but he would also give in quickly seeing as the church was in need of some repairs. Of course, he did find time to send some of the money back to his associates to be fair.

She smiled when she saw Martin and Abagail dancing. They both looked happy, and she remembered seeing them together quite often. It seemed as if they were really falling for each other, and she couldn't help but find it sweet! Though, Abagail had seemed a bit strange every time she passed her on the street, especially the time Abagail came to return the crutches. Something about the way Abagail looked at her made her feel as if the girl had something against her. But, Abagail was always sweet and polite, so she couldn't figure out what was going on. Perhaps it was one of those many teenaged problems that Michaela had gone through a few years ago herself.

Michaela realized that she should probably start heading over toward the meadow now. So, she made sure her hair looked nice and started to leave the clinic. When she arrived outside, she saw Sully's wagon parked outside of Grace and Robert E.'s house. She wondered if perhaps she should wait on him so they wouldn't have to walk over separately and alone.

When the door to the Smith's house opened, her breath caught in her chest when she saw Sully wearing a suit and looking quite handsome in it! He always looked handsome, but there was something about the way he looked in a suit that sent a tingle throughout her body.

His eyes caught Michaela's form across the street, and he was taken away. She looked heavenly as she stood in the sunlight, her hair shimmering a golden red. He slowly made his way across the street to the young doctor's side.

"Afternoon, Dr. Mike," Sully said with a smile. "Ya look real nice."

"Thank you," Michaela replied, smiling as well. "You're looking very handsome as well."

"Thank you," Sully reciprocated. He held his arm out to her, and without a word, she linked hers with his. They began to stroll through the meadow, and Michaela glanced at Sully.

"How are the children?"

"Good. They wanted to come to the party."

"Why didn't they?" Michaela wondered.

"Well, I just figured they wouldn't have much fun," he suggested. Michaela knew that there was another reason the children didn't come to the party, but she decided not to press the question any further.

"It's a beautiful day," she remarked.

"Sure is," Sully replied, gazing at her soft face. Michaela's eyes met his, and she blushed. She found herself blushing in his presence more often than not. She couldn't help it. They way he made her feel was brand new to her, but she was beginning to wonder if he thought her face was that red all of the time.

"I haven't been to a dance in years," Michaela admitted as they strolled along.

"Well, would ya mind savin' me a dance or two?"

"Of course I wouldn't mind," Michaela replied. "You know how to dance?"

"Well, I ain't that good, but Charlotte taught me a few steps."

"I see," Michaela said softly. "Well, I'll be sure to save at least one dance for you." She grinned a little. "Don't worry. I'm sure I'll be available for dancing most of the afternoon. I don't think many of the townsmen are going to be stepping on toes to get over to me in order to ask for a dance." Sully chuckled.

"They're fools then," he said quietly.

"What?" Michaela had heard him perfectly clearly, but it had come as a surprise to her.

"I just think that anybody who passes up a chance to dance with a beautiful woman don't know what they're missin' out on." They continued to walk on in silence as the music stopped for the band to take a five minute break.

* * *

Loren and Maude smiled proudly as their daughter whirled around the dance floor in the arms of Martin Johnson. She seemed so happy that it was almost heartbreaking to know that she was going away. But, it was for her own good. Sure, she was having a good time with Martin, but going to college would give her an opportunity to meet someone who might be willing to give her a good life. 

Abagail made her way over to her parents, while Martin moved to talk to a couple of his friends during the music break. She wrapped her arms around both of her parents.

"Thank you both for this party. Though I hate that I'm goin' away, I'm glad everybody cared enough to stop by."

"You're a sweet girl, Abby. Everybody cares 'bout ya," Loren noted.

"Not everyone," Abagail muttered under her breath.

"Now Abby, ya remember our deal, don't ya?"

"Yes Papa." How could she forget it? It had been on her mind ever since he made the deal with her. She'd tried tirelessly to win Sully's heart, but she hadn't succeeded. She had only the matter of a few hours to get him to ask for her hand, but why would he do that when he had absolutely no idea she was in love with him?

"You're gonna have so much fun at college," Maude said with a smile.

"How do you know?" she asked sadly. "You and Papa didn't go."

"No, but look how Dr. Mike turned out," Maude mentioned. Abagail felt jealousy rising up inside of her again. Now her own parents were using the woman that Abagail envied the most as a model of how they wanted their daughter to be? Abagail groaned loudly and turned her back. She walked back over to be with Martin. Maude looked at Loren.

"Loren, we ain't paid her tuition yet," Maude whispered. "Maybe she don't have to go just yet. She could wait a couple years."

"Oh, now Maude, ya know I want her to be happy, but she ain't gonna be happy here if she ain't got nothin' to do all day."

"What about getting married?"

"What?" Loren asked quickly. "For cryin' out loud, Maude, she ain't gonna get Sully to propose!"

"I ain't talkin' 'bout Sully," Maude replied quickly. "Look at her." She pointed over to Martin and Abagail. Martin was now holding her hand and whispering to her.

"Ya think Martin's gonna propose?"

"If he does," Maude continued, "would ya consider lettin' her put off her schoolin'?" Loren thought for a moment.

"If Martin proposes," he considered, "and that's only _if_ he proposes, she can put school off for a year or so." Maude smiled and hugged her husband. "What makes ya think he's gonna propose?" Maude leaned in to whisper into her husband's ear.

"I saw him with a small box in his hand earlier."

"That don't mean nothin'," Loren grumbled.

"When he opened it, I'm pretty sure I saw a sparkle."

"Diamond?"

"It's gotta be," Maude replied. "Loren, I bet our little girl will be an engaged woman by the end of this evenin'."

As her parents thought about her uncertain future, Abagail began to dance with Martin again as the band struck up another tune. This song was a slow one, and as she spotted Sully and Michaela walking up onto the dance floor, she decided that she really had to play into it.

"Oh Martin!" Abagail laughed aloud, pretending he had said something deliriously funny into her ear. Martin twirled her around, and she kept her eyes on Sully and Michaela.

Sully led Michaela onto the dance floor as they walked arm in arm.

"Do ya wanna dance now or get some punch?" Sully wondered.

"I like this song," she said with a smile, recognizing the tune as _Beautiful Dreamer_. Sully took her hand in his and they began to dance about the stage. They had to dance close to one another, seeing as the floor was full of couples dancing about. Having her in his arms was a treat for Sully. He could smell the sweet scent of her soap and perfume, and he could practically feel the beat of her heart.

Michaela felt one hand on her waist and the other joined with hers, and it made her want to float above the ground and into the clouds. She felt lighter than air as they swept about the floor. She didn't want the song to ever end, and as their eyes stayed locked on one another's the temptation to pull one another closer was almost too hard to resist. As they were beginning to lean toward one another, the song ended, and the magical moment ended with the loud twang of a banjo. A fast-paced song began, and Michaela decided that she was feeling a bit thirsty and warm. Sully cleared his throat and let Michaela out of his arms, and the two of them made their way over to the punch bowl.

Abagail and Martin were holding hands beside Loren and Maude now as the crowd began a group dance. Abagail had tears in her eyes after having witnessed the interaction between Michaela and Sully during the previous song.

"Abagail?" Martin asked over the music.

"What?" she replied quietly. Martin looked over at Maude and Loren.

"Well, I was gonna ask your ma and pa first, but since you're here, I wanna do it all at the same time, 'cause I'm feelin' real nervous."

"Ask what?" Abagail wondered. Loren and Maude looked at one another knowingly. Martin swallowed hard and brought the box out of his coat pocket.

"Mr. and Mrs. Bray, I know it's only been a few weeks since I started courtin' your daughter, but I've been in love with her from the day I first saw her. I'd like to ask your permission to marry your daughter." Abagail gasped with surprise. Sully was the one who was supposed to propose! "That is, if you'll have me, Abagail." Loren and Maude looked over the moon!

"You've got our blessin'," Maude said for both herself and her husband.

"That's right. But, now it's up to our Abby."

"I," she began softly. She wanted to say no. She wanted to say that Sully was going to take her into his arms and profess his undying love for her. But, as she glanced over to the punch table, she saw Michaela and Sully talking and smiling over their refreshments. Seeing that made her realize that the only way she could continue to pursue a future with Sully was to agree to marry Martin Johnson. That would show Byron Sully! He couldn't play hard to get forever, now could he? Once he realized that she was betrothed, he'd come to his senses and realize his time was running out.

She relaxed a bit and smiled.

"Why, Martin Johnson, I'd be honored to be your wife," Abagail said with a smile.

"Ya would!" Martin asked in almost complete surprise. He bent down on one knee and slipped the ring onto her finger as the band stopped playing, and everyone turned to face them. When he stood again, he took her into his arms and twirled her around.

"Martin!" she laughed.

"My baby girl's getting married!" Loren exclaimed to the townspeople. He hadn't thought he'd ever see the day that his daughter would settle for a proposal from anyone other than Sully.

Everyone began to applaud, and as Abagail's face turned a shade of red, she glanced at Sully who was clapping at Michaela's side. He looked happy for her, and not at all jealous. Well, maybe he was just putting up a front so he wouldn't hurt Michaela's feelings. Oh, there was going to be plenty of time before the wedding, so Sully wouldn't have to rush his declaration to her.

"When's the big day?" asked a voice from the crowd.

"Why, Abby's turnin' seventeen next week! We'll have the ceremony then. What do ya say, Reverend? Will ya marry 'em?" Abagail's face turned pale.

"Well, I'd be honored!" Reverend Johnson replied with a grin. "Congratulations Abagail and Martin!" Everyone began to applaud once again.

"A week?" Abagail asked her father. "Papa, I think that's a little too soon."

"Your ma and me were married after a month of courtin', and look at us now. We've been married every since." When Abagail looked over at Michaela and Sully again, they both looked so very happy for her. Sully was smiling from ear to ear, and she didn't know what to do. So, without thinking, she nodded.

"It's settled then," the Reverend spoke up. "Everybody's invited to a weddin' next week!" Cheers rose up, and the band struck up another slow tune for the couples to dance to. As Abagail felt Martin's arms encircle around her, her heart broke into a million pieces.

As the couples all gathered out on the dance floor again, Michaela and Sully placed their cups down. Sully went to take the doctor's hand to lead her out to dance again, but when her fingers enclosed around his, their eyes met and neither one could move.

As Abagail rested her head on Martin's shoulder, they began to sweep about the floor closer to where Sully and Michaela were.

"Dr. Mike?" Sully asked, seeing the tears in her eyes. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," she replied with a smile, brushing the tears away with her fingers. "I'm just happy for them. They're young, but they look so very much in love."

"They sure do," Sully replied with a smile as he looked into her eyes.

"Sometimes I wonder . . ."

"Wonder what?" Sully asked. She shook her head, feeling foolish yet again. That wasn't an uncommon feeling when it came to thinking about her feelings for Sully.

"Oh nothing," she replied, turning away from him. He gently put his hand on her shoulder, and she turned back to face him.

"Tell me," he whispered, stepping closer as the music grew louder. The doctor swallowed hard and took a bold breath.

"Sometimes I wonder if there's the perfect person out there for everyone. Have you ever thought about that?" Sully's eyes didn't break the gaze he shared with Michaela.

"It don't matter what I think. What do you think?"

"What do I think?" Michaela asked slowly, realizing that she had rarely heard anyone ask her that throughout most of her life. She couldn't answer, and as the music reached it's highest note, Sully pulled her close. As their lips became just a breath apart, Michaela leaned in the rest of the way to feel his lips against hers for the first time. Oh what a wonderful feeling it was to have his arms wrapped around her so closely. It seemed as if nothing else mattered!

His lips kissed hers sweetly, and she felt his tongue upon her lips. She didn't know what to do! She had never kissed a man in this way before, but as she fell deeper into the kiss, her natural instincts kicked in. Before long, their kiss had deepened, but had gone unnoticed to everyone except for a certain dark-haired bride-to-be.

Anger built up inside of her, and as they reached the refreshment table, her arm flew out to smack the punch bowl, sending it spilling all over Michaela's dress. The young doctor gasped as everyone turned in time to see her pull away from the kiss.

"Oh, Dr. Mike! I'm so sorry!" Abagail cried out. "I didn't see the bowl, and I . . . oh please forgive me!" Michaela felt Sully's arms still on her, and she stepped back, seeing dozens of pairs of eyes scrutinizing her in her ruined gown.

"I . . ." she began quietly. Usually, this kind of thing wouldn't have been a big deal, but to have been caught kissing Sully at the time when she was uncertain of whether or not the kiss should have taken place was a bit too much to handle. A few giggles rose up from the crowd, and as Michaela's face turned red, she brushed past as few people as she could in order to make a clear break away toward town. Sully rushed after her, seeing that she was running for the clinic. After several agonizing moments of silence, Michaela and Sully both heard the band begin to play again and the party continue on as if nothing had happened.

* * *

Michaela ran into the clinic and practically tripped over her examination table as she tried to stop. How could this have happened? How could she have let herself kiss a man she'd barely known a month? She had to admit that she had wanted it and didn't regret it, but she couldn't believe that she hadn't been able to control herself! 

She poured some cold water into a basin and splashed it upon her flushed cheeks. Sully ran up onto the porch of the clinic and stood in the doorway. She heard him catching his breath and waiting patiently for her to turn. How could she face him? What if he thought she was ashamed? She wasn't! She was only embarrassed that the entire town had spotted the two of them kissing as a bowl of punch was spilled all over her favorite dress.

She turned, her face still about as red as the large punch stain on the front of her dress, and she brushed the tears from her eyes.

"Oh, Sully, I'm so sorry," she whispered. Sully walked in and quietly closed the door behind himself.

"Ya don't gotta apologize for nothin'," he replied gently. He carefully stepped over to her. "I'm sorry your dress got ruined."

"It's alright," she replied. "It can be replaced."

"I'll talk to Loren. Maybe he can help pay for it," Sully suggested.

"No, that's quite alright. I'm sure it was just an accident. Abagail is so happy to be marrying Martin. I'm sure she just got carried away."

"Still, it ain't fair that your dress got ruined."

"Sully, I'm not worried about the dress!" Michaela exclaimed.

"Talk to me," he urged.

"They saw us, Sully. Everyone turned to look at us."

"What's wrong with kissin'?" he wondered. "Dr. Mike, if ya didn't want it to happen . . ."

"No, don't say that," Michaela replied, shaking her head. "I wanted to, and perhaps that's what scared me. I've never felt like this before!"

"Like what?" He needed to know.

"Oh, Sully, we shouldn't be discussing this. It isn't proper."

"Forget about bein' proper for a minute. It's just me, remember?" Michaela swallowed hard.

"I know," she whispered.

"Then tell me what ya meant." She looked into his eyes and couldn't find a way out of talking about this.

"Sully, I care about you," she explained. "I've never felt this way about anyone before, and from the beginning, I told myself that those feelings would go away. But they haven't. I don't know what I'm feeling. It seems as if I have all of these emotions and thoughts running on a rampage throughout my mind. I don't know how to get over those feelings."

"Maybe ya don't have to."

"What?"

"Dr. Mike, whatever you're feelin' . . . I'm feelin' it too. I've been feelin' like this since I met ya, and I also tried to tell myself that it'd just go away on its own. But, it didn't, and it seems like the way I feel about ya gets stronger every day."

"What does this all mean?" Michaela asked softly.

"Well, first of all, I think it means that ya don't gotta feel embarrassed 'bout what happened out there. I don't want ya to feel embarrassed 'bout somethin' we both shared 'cause we wanted to."

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "Sully, for the first time in my entire life, I feel like I can just live in the moment and be free. I never felt that way until I met you." She looked away, and Sully tilted her face with his fingertips so he could look into her eyes.

"Sometimes there ain't nothin' wrong with wantin' to live in the moment. Don't apologize for listenin' to your heart, Dr. Mike." A moment later, he was pressing his lips against hers again, reassuring her that it was alright to feel the way she was feeling and live in the moment. When he pulled away, he brushed a tear from her eyes. "I don't know what all this means, but I'd sure like to find out where our hearts are takin' us." Michaela thought for a moment. Her heart had been trying to convince her to go with her feelings for the past month. Perhaps if she and Sully were to explore their feelings together, something more pure and natural than they could have ever imagined would form. Michaela was willing.

"I'd like that," she said with a soft nod. Sully smiled and kissed her hand softly.

"Good." After a short pause, he cleared his throat. "Now, why don't ya go upstairs and get changed so we can get back to the party?"

"We have to go back?"

"C'mon. Ya gotta show folks ya ain't embarrassed." Hearing Sully's words made Michaela realize it was true. She nodded and started up the stairs, hoping that this all wasn't a dream, because if it was, waking up would be the nightmare.


	10. Chapter Ten

**Chapter Ten**

By the time morning arrived, it seemed as if most people had forgotten all about the incident with the punch bowl. It wasn't as if Michaela was going to go around talking about it, and she was grateful that most people were focusing on Abagail Bray and Martin Johnson's upcoming wedding.

Most of the housewives in town were flocking about the young woman, preparing her for her wedding. On her seventeenth birthday, she would be receiving the gift of a husband and a new life. Michaela was happy for Abagail, and she had made sure to let her know that she was fine about what happened to her dress, though Abagail insisted on finding a way to pay her back. Michaela saw no need for it and figured she wouldn't need the dress anytime soon.

Since school was out until the beginning of October due to the town council's difficulties in trying to figure out a suitable school year schedule, the Cooper children were all looking for something to occupy themselves and their time with.

Business was slow for Michaela, so she was keeping Sully's three children entertained at the clinic. Sully was over at the livery getting his tomahawk fixed by Robert E. The blade had broken, and Michaela couldn't imagine how that could have happened.

"Are you and Pa gonna get married now?" Matthew asked as Michaela sat at her desk with Brian in her lap.

"What!" Michaela asked quickly, her eyes growing wide. Colleen grinned.

"We heard everybody caught you and Pa kissin'!"

"Who told you both that?"

"Mr. Bray," Matthew replied with a laugh. "He wasn't gonna tell us, but we got it out of 'im." Michaela shook his head.

"Well, don't believe everything you hear," Michaela noted with a fresh red tinge to her cheeks. Matthew and Colleen glanced at one another.

"But Pa said it was true!" Colleen insisted. Michaela felt herself growing even redder. "We asked 'im, and he said that it was true, but we don't gotta make a big fuss about it right now."

"Your father is right," Michaela said with a smile. "Please don't make a big fuss over it, because we're not going to make a big fuss either."

"Why not?" Matthew asked. Michaela didn't know what to say. How was she supposed to explain something like this to an eight-year-old and a five-year-old? Michaela decided there really was no way to talk about it.

"Let me just say that it's something you'll understand when you're grown ups." Matthew rolled his eyes.

"Pa always tells us that when it's somethin' he doesn't wanna talk about." Michaela grinned. Just as Michaela ran out of words to say to try to explain the delicate situation to the children, the door opened. Sully walked through, and Michaela's eyes immediately brightened.

"Pa!" Matthew exclaimed. "We were just askin' if you and Dr. Mike were gonna get married." Michaela's face flushed again, and she tried not to look at Sully as the boy said those words. She focused on Brian, and Sully knew she was getting uncomfortable.

"Brian, I told ya that ya don't gotta be worryin' 'bout this." Matthew sighed and nodded. "RJ and Thomas are waitin' outside. They wanna go play a game in the meadow. Why don't ya take your sister?" RJ was the short nickname for Robert E. and Grace's oldest son, Robert Jr. Matthew took Colleen's hand.

"C'mon Colleen. They wanna be alone."

"Oooh," both children said in unison, teasing their father and Dr. Mike. They giggled as they ran out of the clinic. Sully sensed Michaela's uneasiness as he shut the door after them. Brian yawned and rested his head on Michaela's shoulder.

"Sorry 'bout them," he said with a sheepish smile. Michaela smiled and stood with Brian in her arms.

"Would you like for me to put him down for a nap?"

"Nah, I'll take 'im up. Thanks for watchin' 'em today."

"I don't mind."

"I know you're real busy with everything, but Cloud Dancin' needs me to help him out at the reservation today."

"I understand. Besides, do you see a line of patients waiting outside of the door?" He knew what she was getting at.

"Give 'em time, Dr. Mike. Ya already got lots of patients."

"And a good ninety nine percent of them are women and small children." She shook her head. "At least Robert E. is different."

"Well, ya know, if I ever need stitchin' up, I'll come to ya."

"I appreciate that," Michaela said with a smile. "Though, I hope you aren't put in the position where you might need stitches." Sully chuckled.

"I'll be right back." He took Brian upstairs for a nap. Michaela exhaled slowly as she waited for Sully to return. She hadn't been alone with him since they were at the clinic after the incident with the punch bowl. She didn't know what to think or to say. She was confused about everything, including where she and Sully were with their relationship. What exactly were they to each other? Were they courting? Were they just two friends with more than friendly feelings for one another?

Needing a distraction from her thoughts, Michaela moved to stand by the window, and her fingers lightly touched the vase that Sully had put so much time and effort into restoring. The flowers that he'd given to her the night he presented the vase to her had long since dried and wilted away, and the vase stood empty with stagnant water inside.

She opened up the window and tossed the water into the dirt street, and as she held the empty vase in her hands, she thought of the smile on Sully's face after he'd given it back to her. He'd been so happy that he had made her happy. She wanted to see him smile like that more often!

His footsteps fell heavily on the stairs as he began to come back from putting Brian down for a nap. Michaela turned from the window and placed the vase back down on her desk. When Sully reappeared, he noticed that Michaela was uncomfortable.

"Is everything alright?" he wondered, closing the door that separated the room from the staircase so they wouldn't disturb Brian upstairs.

"Yes," the doctor replied breathlessly.

"Come sit. Ya look like you're gonna pass out." Sully moved to take her hand, and she pulled away as if she'd been shot. "What's wrong?" Michaela felt absolutely embarrassed. Sully was so caring and attentive. She just wasn't used to the kind of treatment she was being given. She didn't want to feel uncomfortable, but just knowing that they needed to talk about where their relationship was headed made her feel weak in the knees. "Did I do somethin' wrong?"

"No," she said softly, finally letting him take her hand. He led her over to her chair and waited for her to sit. He finally half leaned and half sat on the edge of the desk. "You didn't say anything wrong. You didn't do anything wrong."

"Well, why did ya jump back like ya were scared?"

"I'm not scared!" Michaela defended. She swallowed hard, and Sully knew she was lying.

"Ya don't gotta lie to me, Dr. Mike. You can trust me, ya know?"

"I know." She took a long pause before continuing. "The truth is that I am a bit frightened."

"Of what? Of me?"

"Don't be silly. Of course I'm not frightened of you."

"Then what's the matter? I ain't gonna be able to help if ya don't talk to me." She knew he was right, and when she went to stand again, he followed her to the window. He didn't dare touch her, because he didn't want to make her any more uncomfortable than she already was. "Why are ya so uncomfortable 'round me?"

"That's just it, Sully. I'm usually not! Before yesterday . . . before what happened . . ." her voice trailed off.

"Ya mean when we kissed and told each other 'bout how we feel?" Michaela nodded.

"Yes, precisely. Sully, when we were only friends, I didn't have to worry about anything. My feelings were secret, as were yours, and we didn't have expectations."

"Expectations?" Michaela finally turned to face him.

"Don't people usually have expectations when they're . . ."

"When they're what?"

"That's what I'd love to know," Michaela replied with exasperation. "Sully, what are we to one another?"

"We're friends who wanna get to know more 'bout each other. We're two people who care about each other and wanna see what comes of it."

"That's it?" Sully knew what she was getting at. He knew she needed to hear the words for it to be true. So, he took her hands in his and kissed her knuckles softly.

"No. That ain't all of it, anyway. I'd like to think that we're courtin'."

"Courting?" Michaela asked hopefully.

"Sure. Ya know what courtin' is, right?"

"Of course I do," Michaela replied, shaking her head slightly. "It's just that . . ."

"Ya never courted with nobody before?" She shook her head again, this time letting him know that she was new to all of this. Sully smiled slightly and leaned in to press a kiss to Michaela's cheek. "Don't worry." She felt his breath against her ear, and the tingling sensation that moved from his lips to her very core made her tremble and close her eyes. "I ain't courted nobody before."

"You haven't?" she asked with surprise, opening her eyes widely to stare into his.

"Nope," he admitted.

"I have to say I'm surprised!" Sully knew what she meant.

"Just 'cause I look the way I do? 'Cause I live out here?" He wasn't offended. He was merely trying to understand her better.

"No! I mean . . ." She blushed. "I've seen the way some of the ladies in town look at you, and I have to say that if some of them weren't married . . ." Sully laughed and shook his head.

"I just ain't never been interested in nobody the way I am about you. 'Sides, when do ya think I woulda had the time to court between movin' out West and helpin' Charlotte by takin' the kids?"

"You have a point there." Then there was another question weighing on Michaela's mind. She knew it wasn't proper to ask, and it definitely wasn't the time. She was brought up and told that it was proper to wait until marriage before doing, well, several things. She wondered if Sully had been brought up the same way, or if he'd been with a woman in his years of traveling out West. But, that discussion would be held off for another time, because she knew that there was no way she would be able to ask without an uncomfortable silence filling the room every time they saw one another.

"So, what about these expectations now that we both know we're courtin'?" Sully wondered. Michaela sighed heavily.

"I'm just not sure if I know what I'm doing. This is all so new to me, and I enjoy spending time with you very much. The truth is that I want this to work!" Sully nodded.

"Me too. So, we're gonna have to help each other out a little as we go. Do ya think you're up to it?" Michaela smiled at Sully's reassurance.

"I am," she nodded.

"Good. Me too." He kissed her cheek again. "I really ought to get out to the reservation now, but if ya want me to stay so we can talk . . ."

"Oh no, I don't want to keep you."

"Ya sure? I can just send word to Cloud Dancin' . . ."

"Sully, go on. The children and I will be fine. We'll see you around five?" Sully nodded.

"Alright. I'll see ya later." Sully wanted to kiss her again, he knew he should give her some space. The truth was that she wanted him to kiss her too, but when he left without doing so, she could tell that he wanted her to adjust, and he was just being considerate. So, after Sully left, Michaela settled back down at her desk to do a little reading before the children returned.

* * *

Abagail settled down into her desk chair after a long day of having measurements taken for her wedding gown. She hadn't seen Martin much that day, because he was working in order to make enough money to start building the house they would be living in. Luckily, Widow Hanson was turning her large home into a boarding house and had offered to let the newlyweds share a room until their home was complete. 

As Abagail sat at her desk, she opened up her diary and began to flip through it. She'd been writing in it for years, and she still hadn't been able to fill the pages. She didn't write in it often, but when she felt moved by something, she would write and write until her heart was content. Her writings were usually all about Sully and her dreams of their future together. Of course they were merely fantasies, but to a nearly seventeen-year-old Abagail Bray, they were everything.

A knock came to the door, and Maude walked in with a tray of food from Grace's.

"I thought ya might be hungry. You've been so busy with preparin' for the weddin'."

"Thanks Ma," Abagail said quietly. Maude came to sit on the edge of her daughter's bed after placing the tray down in front of her daughter.

"I know ya must be real nervous 'bout marryin' Martin."

"I'm not," Abagail answered quickly. "I love him; he loves me. We're gonna be happy together, mama." The funny thing about it was that when she thought of her upcoming marriage, she could only see Sully standing at the altar, waiting to take her hand in marriage.

"I'm glad to hear it, Abby. Ya know I am. But, I know how ya felt 'bout Sully."

"Oh Ma," Abagail said, shaking her head. "Sully doesn't love me. He never will. I've accepted that." Of course she hadn't, but playing the part of the non-interested, hard-to-get woman would surely make Sully's head turn.

"I'm glad ya finally got to your senses. I'm gonna go downstairs and help out your Pa. If ya need anything, come let us know."

"Thanks Ma," Abagail replied. The older woman left the room, shutting the door behind her. Abagail pushed the food tray aside and seriously considered smashing it against the wall. But, instead, she opened up her diary and began to write.

_Dear Diary,_

_Ma and Pa are so happy, because I'm getting married. Why can't I be happy? I always thought that it would be the happiest day of my life on my wedding day. But, I never thought that my groom would be Martin Johnson. I do care for Martin. He's been nothing but sweet to me, but there's only one problem. He's not Sully! I want Sully to be the one to hold me for the rest of my life. I want to lie in his arms at night and give him the future children he wants to have. I want to be a mother to Colleen, Brian, and Matthew. I know I'm young, but lots of girls my age are getting married, because they're not going on to college. I'd love to go to college someday, but for now, I want to stay here and keep an eye on my love. I swear if Dr. Mike hurts him, she'll regret it! I like her, but if she hurts the man I love, I will not let her get away with it. The only thing I have to do is convince Martin that I love him and only him. I can't have him suspicious of me, now can I?_

She took a deep breath and slammed her book shut. Writing didn't help this time. She needed to see Sully. He was at the reservation, or so she had heard. Perhaps a long talk with him would help to soothe her heart and ease her worries.

She ate a bit of food so her mother wouldn't worry, and after a few minutes, she pulled on her bonnet and started out toward the reservation on Buttercup's back.

* * *

Sully was making his way back from the reservation with Wolf at his heels. He hoped to arrive back in town before dinnertime, because he wanted to invite the lady doctor over to eat with him and the children. He loved spending time with her, and he just couldn't get enough of her! She was the most beautiful woman he'd ever set eyes on, and his heart already knew he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. Sometimes, he just felt like falling to his knees and promising himself to her for the rest of eternity, but he knew it was far too soon, and with her so nervous and overwhelmed with the turn of events in their relationship, he didn't want to move anything too quickly. Just knowing that they cared for one another was enough to keep Sully satisfied. He knew the time would come when he'd propose, and he already knew what kind of house he was going to build. He could already see himself carrying her over the threshold after the honeymoon, tucking the children into bed after dinner, and taking her to bed to make love to her and prove his heart to her for the rest of the night. 

He actually missed her at the moment. It was as if she were an addiction. He needed her, and it seemed that the time he got to spend with her was never enough. He needed more and more of her, but he never felt full except for when he was holding her or kissing her.

Wolf's ears perked up, and Sully looked down at his loyal pet.

"What is it, boy?" The sound of a horse approaching turned Sully's attention. He saw Abagail coming near on Buttercup's back. When she stopped the horse, he automatically thought something was wrong.

"Abagail? Is there somethin' wrong?"

"No," she replied slowly. "Why would there be?"

"I don't know," Sully said as they started to walk along. Abagail led her trusty horse behind her, while Wolf frolicked ahead. "Just thought maybe somethin' happened to the kids or to Dr. Mike."

"They're all fine," Abagail replied quickly. "Don't worry."

"What brings ya out here?"

"I was lookin' for you, actually."

"Me? What for?" They walked along toward town, and Sully glanced at Abagail.

"Yeah. I just wanted to talk. We don't get to talk much like we used to."

"That's true," Sully replied. "I remember back before Charlotte died. I used to take ya fishin' all the time, and we'd talk about lots of things."

"Remember the picnic we had just before Brian was born? Remember how you told me how much you liked spending time with me?" Sully smiled and nodded.

"Yeah, I remember." Abagail wanted to jump into his arms right then, but she heard him clear his throat. "Havin' you around was good practice."

"Practice?" Abagail asked hopefully.

"I never knew what it was like to be a pa," he explained. "Havin' you nearby kinda got me prepared for what it's gonna be like when Colleen's your age." He didn't just say that, did he? Abagail couldn't believe this. Was he actually saying that he thought of her as some sort of daughter figure!

"Oh," she whispered, feeling her mouth go dry.

"Colleen really likes havin' ya around. She thinks of ya as a big sister." This was too much. Abagail shook her head. They walked on in silence, and Sully turned his head to look at her. "What did ya wanna talk about?" Abagail swallowed hard. She knew this was going to be painful, but she had to know.

"You and Dr. Mike seem to be real happy." She noticed Sully's face brighten.

"Yeah."

"That's all you're gonna say? Do ya love her?" Sully hadn't even told Michaela that he loved her yet. It was too soon, and he knew he shouldn't tell anyone else before he told her. The look on his face told Abagail the truth.

"Truth is, I never felt this way 'bout anybody before," he explained. "I never thought I'd care about someone the way I care about Dr. Mike." Abagail knew it. As she looked into his eyes, her heart told her that he would never want her or love her. Coming to that final realization made her heart break, and she had to get away.

She quickly mounted Buttercup.

"Where ya goin'?"

"I just remembered that I promised to help my ma with somethin'." She rushed off without saying goodbye so Sully wouldn't have to see her cry.

* * *

That night, Michaela stepped out of Sully's homestead after dinner. He was getting the rambunctious young ones to sleep, so she figured it would be a little while until the giggling and jumping about tapered off. They had had a very quiet meal between the two of them. The children, on the other hand, had been talkative and very hyper. Not being in school seemed to give the children less to do and more time to eat candy and run about playing silly games. 

As she sat out on the porch and looked up at the big bright moon, she closed her eyes and thought of her first kiss with Sully. She began to think back to everything that had happened since she had arrived in Colorado Springs. She had met so many wonderful people, and many of the young children in town already looked up to her and enjoyed talking with her as they passed her on the street.

Then there was Abagail. She was a kind girl, but something about her was different. Michaela had never really thought about Abagail's opinion of her before, but as she looked back through everything that had transpired over the last month, she began to come to a realization.

Abagail always had picnics with Sully and the children before, and now that she was in Sully's life, those picnics had stopped. What about the conversation in which Abagail seemed disappointed that she wasn't frightened off by the prospect of Sully wanting lots of children? Then there was the incident with the horses on the way to the reservation. Last but not least, there was the incident at the party with the punchbowl. It seemed as if Abagail was trying to compete with Michaela or something. Was she trying to settle some kind of score that Michaela didn't know about?

Thinking back on it, she remembered more and more incidents when Sully was around. Abagail always seemed to get starry-eyed and giggly when Sully was around. Then there were times when she'd seem to sober up and go as pale as a sheet.

"Dr. Mike?" Sully asked loudly, startling Michaela from her thoughts. She turned to face him, and he moved to sit down next to her. "I called your name three times. What's on your mind?"

"I'm sorry," she said quietly. "I was just thinking." She smiled a little. "I didn't get to ask earlier, but, how was your day?"

"Not bad," he replied. "Somethin' strange did happen though."

"What's that?" Michaela asked curiously.

"I was walkin' back to town, and Abagail came ridin' out. She said she'd come to talk to me."

"She did?" Michaela asked, the wheels in her head turning faster and faster. Michaela decided not to press him for information, and she knew he'd tell her if he felt like he should.

"She started askin' me all these questions." He realized that he shouldn't have said that, because one of those questions had an answer that he didn't know if Michaela as ready to hear yet.

"Oh?"

"Yeah. They were just questions about the two of us, and then she said she had to go help her ma with somethin'. She took off real fast." Michaela sighed and nodded her head.

"She's cares for you."

"What?" Sully asked with a dry laugh. "That ain't possible."

"Of course it is!" Michaela laughed. "Sully, think about it. She doesn't come on picnics with you and the children anymore, and every time I'm around, she acts strange, but she smiles at you and offers to help with the children. Sully, I truly believe that Abagail has feelings for you."

"But she's just a kid," Sully said, shaking his head.

"Well, she's about seventeen, so I'd say she's a young woman."

"Yeah, but how could she be sweet on me? I mean, I think of her as a little sister or somethin'. Before the kids came along, I kinda thought of her as the daughter I didn't think I'd ever have. I always thought she looked up to me as a big brother or somethin' like that." Sully sighed and shook his head. "What on earth is she thinkin'?"

"I believe that she's thinking that you're going to fall in love with her and save her from marrying Martin Johnson. You know how she wasn't looking forward to going to college, Sully. Then, all of the sudden, she accepted a marriage proposal from a boy she'd barely been courting for three weeks!" It was all starting to make sense to Sully now.

"I can't believe this," he whispered.

"I can't say that I blame her," Michaela replied, feeling immediately foolish for saying such a thing.

"Ya can't?" She swallowed hard and closed her eyes.

"Well, you're handsome and charming. You're wonderful with your children, and you're always there to help people out when they need you." When she opened her eyes, she found Sully grinning at her. "What?"

"I was gonna say the same thing 'bout you."

"That I'm handsome and charming?" Michaela teased. Sully laughed.

"Nah, ya ain't handsome. You're beautiful. I was gonna say that you're great with the kids, and you're always there to help folks out when they need ya. Ya probably think we don't have much in common, but that ain't true. We're more alike than most folks would think." Michaela blushed and looked up at the moon as Sully's arm came to wrap around her. She leaned her head on his shoulder.

"Sully, perhaps you should speak with her."

"Ain't gonna do no good. If she don't wanna marry Martin, she ain't gonna do it. I don't think she woulda said 'yes' to his proposal if she didn't wanna marry him. She cares about him, and I think she's tryin' to figure out what she wants. When she realizes that I ain't interested in her like that, she'll know what to do."

"I hope you're right," Michaela breathed. Sully tilted Michaela's face so he could look into her eyes.

"You worry too much, ya know that?" Michaela smiled and closed her eyes as Sully's lips pressed against hers in a loving kiss.


	11. Chapter Eleven

**Chapter Eleven**

The citizens of Colorado Springs waved as the wagon carrying newlyweds Martin and Abagail Johnson pulled away from the meadow to take them to their room at the new boarding house. Children pranced around throwing rice and flower petals, while the adults began to walk back toward the town to go about their daily lives.

Michaela and Sully were spending an increasing amount of time with one another, and the folks in town were already starting to realize that the two were perfect for one another. Though they had their differences, they seemed to make up for them in the way that they felt about one another. They did have a lot in common, and they were still just beginning to venture into the courting world.

The children were excited and secretly talking about what it would be like once their Pa and Dr. Mike got married. Of course they didn't have these conversations when the two were around, but they always urged their father to propose to the lady doctor. Sully knew it was too soon to do anything drastic yet. He didn't want to scare her or rush her. He wanted her to be happy and comfortable.

Michaela was walking with Grace on this afternoon, while Sully walked ahead with Robert E. Grace slipped her arm through Michaela's as they walked and held onto Anthony with her other arm.

"So, how are things between you and Sully?" Michaela was a bit caught off guard by Grace's question, but she couldn't help but grin happily. "I'll take that to mean that things are good?"

"Yes," Michaela said with a nod. "It's hard to believe that we're courting."

"Do you still feel uncomfortable 'round him?"

"No," Michaela said quietly. "We've come to an understanding about one another. He knows that I need time, and I know that he's not really shy." Grace and the lady doctor giggled together as others passed them on the way toward town. "I mean, he's not afraid to pull me into his arms and kiss me. He's the forward one, but I don't mind."

"Ya sure about that?"

"Of course I'm sure. It seems as if every time I'm with Sully, he ends up sweeping me off of my feet. He's quite romantic."

"Well, Robert E. ain't always been the romantic one. I ain't never gonna forget the way he proposed to me." Grace laughed at the memory. "I remember him getting down on one knee, pullin' the ring out, stumblin' over his words and finally sayin', 'so, ya wanna marry me?'" Michaela laughed aloud. "I knew he meant well, and he felt bad for sayin' it like that. He gave me a better proposal later, but I accepted the first time."

"It sounds like the two of you love each other very much."

"Sure do," Grace admitted. "Sometimes he's a pain in the . . . well, you know. But he makes me happy, and I like to think I do the same for him." Michaela smiled, envying how happy her friend was. "Don't worry, Dr. Mike. You and Sully will be happy too." Michaela's face blushed.

"Aren't you moving ahead a little?"

"C'mon, Dr. Mike. It's as plain as day that the two of ya are madly in love with each other. Now, I know neither of ya are gonna say so right now, but I see it." Just before Michaela could even attempt to reply to Grace's comments, RJ and Thomas came running over. Grace shifted little Anthony in her arms.

"Mama, can we go play with Colleen and Matthew?"

"Well, as long as you're back home in an hour, I don't see no problem with it."

"Thanks Ma!" RJ said with a grin, tugging on his little brother's hand. The two ran off toward Colleen and Matthew.

"They're a handful," Grace admitted. "But I wouldn't trade 'em for the world. I love 'em. I never thought I'd have a family when I was growin' up. Now look at me. I'm a workin' lady with a lovin' husband and three amazin' little boys."

"You have a lot to be thankful for." Grace put her free hand on Michaela's shoulder as her other arm supported Anthony.

"You do too," Grace said with a wink as she nodded in Sully's direction. The two began to talk quietly and grin as they passed Robert E. and Sully.

Sully shifted Brian onto his other hip while he walked along with Robert E. Both men glanced at their respective loves as they passed. Robert E. glanced at Sully as he smiled in Michaela's direction.

"Looks like things are movin' along nice for you and Dr. Mike," Robert E. commented. Sully only nodded slightly. He didn't know how to discuss his relationship with Michaela with anyone. He wasn't a man of many words, but he felt like he could say so many things about the woman he loved, though none of them seemed proper to say when he hadn't even divulged them to Michaela yet. "Ya don't gotta give me an answer. I see it in your eyes every time ya look at Dr. Mike. You're in over you're head, but ya don't seem to mind too much." Sully chuckled a bit and rubbed Brian's back as the boy fell asleep. "Grace is fixin' on askin' Dr. Mike, so I figured I'd ask ya if ya wanted to have supper with us tonight."

"Tonight?"

"Yeah. Things are gonna be real quiet with most folks helpin' Martin and Abagail take their things to the boardin' house. We thought ya might like to join us and Dr. Mike for supper at the café." Sully had to admit that sounded nice, but he really wished he could have some time alone with the lady doctor. The past couple of days had been hectic. She'd been busy with minor surgeries, and she'd had to go out to the reservation twice. Sully was thankful that the Cheyenne were starting to trust Michaela. She and Snow Bird were becoming fast friends!

"Well, I'll see if I can make it."

"C'mon. Ain't every day ya get to have a free meal that you don't gotta cook." Robert E. had a point!

"I'm sure the kids'll be hungry, so we'll be there."

"Good," Robert E. replied, patting his friend on the back. "Good."

* * *

"I don't know how I'm ever going to get all of this done," Michaela muttered to herself as she began to sort through the crates that had just been delivered. Grace had invited her to supper, and she was supposed to be there in a half an hour. But, now that some new medicines and equipment had arrived, Michaela felt overwhelmed and compelled to get it all sorted out.

She hardly had any room on her shelves for the medicines, considering the fact that some of the herbs Cloud Dancing had shown her had now taken up space. She had administered some of the remedies to a couple of her patients who had been deathly ill, and their fevers broke within an hour. They had survived, and she was quite certain that it was the leaves she'd brewed that saved their lives. She was grateful to Cloud Dancing for his generosity. Bringing Cheyenne medicine into the world was not something to be afraid of, though most folks would have rather taken their chances with fate.

She began to make room on her shelves and realized that she was going to need much more shelf space. Perhaps she could ask Sully or Robert E. to help her out with that.

A knock came to the door, and Myra stepped in with little Sam in her arms. Horace followed in right behind them.

"Good afternoon, Horace. Myra," Michaela said with a warm smile. "How are you feeling?"  
"Better. He's sleepin' a little more."

"Good!" Michaela replied. "I'm happy to hear that." Myra had a concerned expression in her eyes.

"Dr. Mike? He's been feelin' poorly. I thought it was the milk, but it ain't. He feels bad all the time now. He sleeps more, but it seems like when he wakes up, he feels worse and worse." Michaela realized that this was much more important than unpacking now.

"Let me see him." Michaela took the little one into her arms and placed him on the examination table.

"He's alright, ain't he, Dr. Mike?" Horace wondered. Michaela swallowed hard and took out her stethoscope. She listened to his heart and lungs, and he seemed to be just fine. But it was obviously his stomach that was bothering him. She put the stethoscope to his stomach to listen to his bowels. Something wasn't right.

"I know this is an odd question," Michaela stated, "but how have his bowel movements been lately?"

"Huh?" Myra wondered. "Oh, uh, he hasn't gone since early yesterday, but it wasn't that much." Michaela's face grew even more serious.

"What's that mean, Dr. Mike?" Horace wondered.

"By the sound of it, I believe there is a blockage in Sam's intestine."

"Blockage?" Myra asked with horror in her eyes. "Oh, Dr. Mike, he's gonna be alright, ain't he?" Michaela looked uncertain.

"What are ya gonna have to do?"

"The only thing I can do is to operate and cut out the blockage in order to clear the intestinal passage."

"That sounds dangerous," Myra whispered. Michaela nodded slightly.

"It is." Horace looked at his son and shook his head.

"This can't happen."

"Horace, I'm sure everything will be fine," Michaela said quietly. "I've performed this surgery several times on infants in Boston, and the results have turned out well."

"For all of them?" Myra asked. Michaela nodded sadly.

"No. Some babies lost too much blood. Sometimes it depended on the sizes of the blockages. I can't tell from the external examination, but the blockage doesn't seem to be very large." She pressed slightly on the baby's belly, and he let out a cry. She felt bad to see the baby in such discomfort.

"When do ya gotta do the operation?" Myra asked.

"I'll need to do it immediately," Michaela said softly. "The longer we wait, the greater risk I'll be taking." Horace and Myra glanced worriedly at one another. Michaela didn't seem to look as if she believed the surgery would be a complete success.

"Myra, maybe we ought to talk 'bout this," Horace suggested. Myra's eyes widened.

"What's there to talk about?" She turned her attention back to Michaela. "If ya don't do this surgery, what'll happen? Will he live?" Michaela couldn't bring herself to say the words that mostly every parent dreaded to hear. She merely shook her head, letting them know that to do nothing would surely spell a quick death for baby Samuel Bing.

"I don't believe there is any chance for this to go away on its own."

"But it could?" Michaela's answer was grim.

"Do it," Myra urged. Michaela saw Horace grow tense behind his wife.

"Myra, honey, are ya sure?"

"Sure that I don't want my baby to die!" she cried. "I trust Dr. Mike. She'll save our little boy."

* * *

Sully, Robert E., and Grace sat with the children around a table at the café. Michaela wasn't there yet, and she was supposed to have arrived ten minutes ago.

"Maybe she lost track of time?" Grace suggested. Sully knew she wouldn't have been late without a good reason.

"I better go make sure she's alright," Sully said quietly. At that point, Abagail and Martin came running by. They had come from the boarding house after changing out of their wedding attire.

"What's goin' on?" Robert E. wondered. "Thought you two was s'posed to be movin' to the boardin' house."

"Everybody's gatherin' at the clinic, 'cause Myra and Horace's baby's sick," Abagail called as Martin took her hand and led her toward the clinic. A moment later, Sully, Robert E., and Grace were rushing toward the clinic with the children in tow.

* * *

It was dusk when Michaela finally emerged from the clinic with a relieved and triumphant smile upon her face. Horace and Myra stood quickly and rushed to her.

"How is he?" Horace asked.

"He pulled through in remarkable condition," she said softly. "Your little boy is resting upstairs. He'll be a bit groggy, but for a little one of such a young age, he did wonderfully."

"Oh, thank you, Dr. Mike! I knew you could fix him!" Myra wrapped her arms around her friend before hurrying into the clinic with Horace to see little Sam. The crowd began to break apart as folks took their children home to put them to bed. Abagail glanced at Dr. Mike, but this time, her eyes were full of relief and happiness that the doctor's efforts at saving the boy had paid off.

The newlyweds made their way to the boarding house, and soon, Sully and the children were left alone on the porch with an exhausted Michaela. Her smile had faded, however, and Sully knew that something was bothering her.

"Pa, I'm tired," Colleen said with a yawn. It was late, and Sully didn't want to have to go all the way out to the homestead with three tired children. It would be best for them to sleep in town tonight. Michaela could see that Brian was already sleeping in his father's arms, and Matthew's eyes were becoming heavy and tired.

"Sully, why don't you and the children sleep here tonight? It's been an exhausting day." Sully smiled at Michaela's offer of hospitality.

"Ya mean, you could use the company?" Michaela felt her cheeks grow hot. It was true. She didn't want to be alone right now. That surgery she had performed had taken all of her energy away. "I'll take the kids upstairs and tuck 'em in." Michaela nodded and sat down upon the bench on the clinic porch. She looked over toward the saloon to see Hank pushing Jake back with his hand. She sighed, knowing she should go help, but she knew Jake would only push her away. This wasn't the time. She didn't feel like getting further verbal abuse from someone with a problem such as Jake's.

"I told ya I ain't servin' ya no more, so get out," Hank said sternly. Just as Jake gave up and turned back to go to the barber shop, he turned in Michaela's direction. She wondered if he was finally going to give in and come talk to her, because she knew that going to talk with him got her nowhere. But, all she received from the barber was an angry, bitter gaze before he scooted into his shop.

Michaela sighed with disappointment. She'd almost been there two months, and she still hadn't been able to get through to him. It wasn't for her lack of trying, because she tried so hard to help him. He just didn't want to be helped.

"They're all tucked in," Sully said with a smile as he walked out onto the porch and shut the clinic door.

"Good," Michaela said with a yawn.

"Ya look like ya could use some holdin'." He sat down beside her and put his arms around her. Michaela fell into his embrace gratefully, not really caring what possible onlookers might have thought. It felt good to be held by the man she loved. Yes, she could even think it now. He'd been there for her so much, and he was here again, holding her and making her feel as if she mattered. There was no doubt about it. Michaela Quinn was head over heels in love with Sully.

"I almost lost that baby, Sully," she whispered.

"But ya didn't."

"I know I didn't, but that doesn't dismiss the fact that he nearly died on my table. He nearly lost too much blood."

"Ya gotta stop thinkin' about what almost happened or what coulda happened. What happened is that ya saved his life. Horace and Myra ain't never gonna forget what ya did."

"I suppose not," Michaela whispered. "I just can't bear to think what would have happened if I hadn't stopped the bleeding."

"But ya did," Sully whispered. "Ya stopped it, and that baby's alive 'cause of you. If ya hadn't been here, he woulda died." Michaela sniffled and wiped the tears from her eyes. She waited until the sun had completely set in the sky before she pulled out of Sully's arms. She smiled a little and walked into the clinic, not bothering to shut the door. Sully realized that she wanted him to follow her. So, he stood and walked inside, closing the door to the outside. Michaela was beginning to fold clean sheets and place them in their respective cabinets. Without a word, Sully began to help until the entire room was picked up and cleaned.

"Thank you," Michaela said gratefully as soon as the linens were folded. She looked out the window to see that it was rather dark outside. "Perhaps we should go to bed." Her eyes went wide as she turned to face the door that lead to the upstairs. Her face turned pink with embarrassment, but Sully didn't dare smile at her words, because he wanted to save her from feeling foolish. "I mean, we should both go get some sleep. It's been a tiring day." Sully came up behind her and gently placed his hands on her shoulders.

"I know what ya meant," he replied. "It's gonna get better, Dr. Mike. Don't you worry." He softly kissed her cheek and started up the stairs. She waited until she heard the door shut upstairs before she even dared to move. Her heart was pounding so fast that she thought it would beat it's way through her chest. Once she'd calmed herself, she decided to retire to her own room.

* * *

A few days had passed, and AbagailJohnson was sitting at Grace's Café with a cup of tea in one hand and her diary in the other. She'd spent her first days as a married woman in the arms of her husband. He was gentle and patient with her, but he was just as inexperienced as she was. Martin was sweet, and Abagail loved him, but she was beginning to feel bad that she didn't love him in the way she loved Sully.

Michaela had sent little Samuel home with Horace and Myra just that morning. She had given them proper instructions for cleansing the area around his stitched incision, and she had made it perfectly clear that it needed to be cleaned frequently to prevent infection.

She was walking over to the café for some breakfast and decided to sit with Abagail. She hadn't spoken much with the girl lately, and she'd never known how to bring up the subject of Sully. She knew the girl had a crush on him, and Sully had said that that was probably all it was. He already figured she was over it by now, seeing as she was married, but Michaela wasn't so sure.

"Morning, Abagail. Do you mind if I join you?"

"Mornin', Dr. Mike," Abagail said cheerfully, feeling a bit better about the entire situation. At least she wasn't going to end up an old maid. At least she had a husband. But, her husband wasn't exactly the husband she would have chosen if she had had Sully as an option. Unfortunately, it appeared that Sully didn't have feelings for her and never had. She doubted he ever would, but that didn't stop her own feelings from creeping around in her innermost thoughts. "Go ahead." Michaela seated herself across from Abagail. "How's Sam doin'?"

"He's good. He was strong enough for Horace and Myra to take home today."

"I'm glad ya were able to help him. He's a sweet baby."

"That he is," Michaela agreed. She smiled at young Abagail. "How are you?"

"Fine," Abagail replied. "A bit tired. Martin woke me early, 'cause he had to go off to work on our homestead."

"I see," Michaela replied, blushing a bit. "Are you enjoying married life?"

"So far, yeah," Abagail said with a truthful smile. "I mean, it ain't what I thought it'd be like, but Martin is real sweet to me. I love him."

"It's good to hear that." Michaela didn't quite know how to get into the conversation she was so curious about without offending Abagail. That was the last thing she wanted to do, but she needed to make sure that Abagail was happy. "Abagail, I've been meaning to speak with you about something."

"What's that?" Abagail took the last sip of her tea and held her cup out to Grace, as the older woman came by with a teapot in her hand. Grace filled the cup with fresh tea and went on to her other customers.

"I figured out that you had feelings for Sully," she said softly. "This isn't at all the proper conversation to have . . ."

"No," Abagail said quickly. "It's alright." Abagail slowly placed her teacup aside and looked at the lady doctor. "I always looked up to Sully from the moment I met him. I always pictured myself bein' swept off my feet by him with the most romantic proposal ever. I always pictured him puttin' a ring on my finger and promisin' to love, honor, and cherish me for the rest of our lives. But, when you came along, I saw right away that Sully'd never love somebody so young as me. I mean, you're just a year younger than him, and here I am, seventeen and completely different from you."

"Abagail . . ."

"It's alright, Dr. Mike. Ma and Pa always said that it was puppy love. It wasn't. I loved him with my whole heart, but that's over now. I'm with Martin, and I couldn't be happier. I know you and Sully are together, and I hope you'll both be happy. I'm over Sully. I know now that Martin can give me a happy life. I'm lucky to have him." The look in Abagail's eyes was convincing enough for Michaela, but as Abagail sat in front of the lady doctor, the only feeling she could feel at the moment was shock. She couldn't believe how good she had become at lying. She wasn't over Sully, and she doubted she ever would be.


	12. Chapter Twelve

**Chapter Twelve**

"Over here, Matthew!" Colleen exclaimed as she held her hand out to receive the rag ball that Matthew had been throwing around with Sully. It was later in the afternoon, and Sully was just about to go to the barn to hitch the wagon so they could go into town. But, when they saw Dr. Mike's horse, Bear, galloping up with the beautiful lady doctor on his back, they all stopped their game to turn around.

"Afternoon, Dr. Mike," Sully greeted her, holding a hand out to help her down from the saddle.

"Thank you," she said quietly. Once her feet were planted on the ground, she turned to the children and smiled. "Good afternoon." The children said their various hellos, and Colleen nudged Matthew.

"Let's give 'em some time alone," she whispered. Michaela glanced at Sully when Colleen whispered to her brother, but Sully only shrugged.

"Uh, Pa? Me and Colleen just remembered we still got chores to do." Matthew and Colleen rushed into the house to do their chores. Michaela laughed softly.

"Looks like they want us to be together as much as we do," Sully suggested. Michaela only blushed as Sully stepped closer to her. "What brings ya out here?"

"Well, I was wondering if . . ." she began, but felt foolish for calling on Sully. It was usually the man who called upon the woman. Sully realized what was going on, and he didn't mind one bit.

"Yeah?" Michaela's cheeks were starting to turn a deep crimson, and she blushed, looking away. "You can ask me anything, ya know?"

"Well, I was just wondering if you would like to take a walk with me. It's a beautiful day, and soon, it'll be too cold."  
"It ain't never too cold to go for a walk with a pretty lady," Sully pointed out. He leaned in and pressed a respectful kiss to her cheek. Giggling was heard from inside of the house a moment later. Sully glanced toward the window to see his oldest son and his daughter watching them with their noses pressed against the glass. He raised an eyebrow with amusement, and they scrambled away to do their chores. "Well, we ain't busy. Ya mind the kids comin' along? I don't like leavin' 'em alone."

"Well, I wasn't just inviting you," Michaela said with a playful smile. "Of course the children are welcome to come along. I wouldn't have it any other way.

"Sure ya would," he whispered quietly with a suggestive smile.

"Sully!" she laughed. Sully chuckled and turned toward the house.

"Ya can stop listenin' at the door now," he called out. "I know the two of ya ain't doin' your chores, so bring your brother out here, and we'll go for a walk." A moment later, Matthew and Colleen emerged with Brian in tow. Sully took Brian into his arms, and Michaela linked her arm through his free one. The children walked ahead, playing with Wolf, and both Michaela and Sully enjoyed the silence as Brian slept in his father's arms.

Michaela glanced at Brian and then at Sully.

"Sully?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you ever worry?"

"'Bout what?"

"About their real father?" Michaela asked. "Do you ever worry that he'll come back to take them away?"

"I ain't too worried, no," Sully replied. Michaela was surprised!

"You're not worried at all? Sully, their father has the legal right to take them away. I'm not saying that I think he should, but I'm saying that you should be prepared." Sully looked at her and then at the children who were playing happily. He realized that he wouldn't be able to take it if he couldn't see his children's smiling faces every day. Having a family seemed so natural to him, when just a little over a year ago, he never would have thought of himself as a family man.

"He ain't got a right," Sully said quietly. "He ran out on 'em, and he don't even know 'bout Brian. If he wanted to be a pa to 'em, he woulda stayed with his wife instead of runnin' off to do what he wanted to do. Ethan Cooper is a selfish man, and he don't care about those kids."

"I'm sorry if I've upset you," she whispered softly.

"Ya didn't. Ethan's just a sore subject with me." Michaela nodded understandingly. She slowly reached over to play with the soft blonde hair upon Brian's head. Sully grinned as Brian's eyes slowly closed. "He didn't have a bit of hair on his head the day he was born. Seems like it ain't been that long, ya know? He's getting bigger every day, but I ain't seein' it."

"Because you're with him every day. It's quite normal not to notice the changes, because he changes every moment before your eyes, and it's something you've gotten used to." Sully liked the way Michaela said that. He couldn't bear the thought of missing out on the children's lives. Having them in his life made everything so much better. He could have fun and be a father, and though he was still lonely sometimes, having three small children to comfort through their own ordeals, such as nightmares, seemed to make everything else less important. The only other thing that Sully cared about as much as his children was Michaela. He loved her so, and he felt lucky just knowing her.

"Have you ever thought about adoption?" Michaela queried as they strolled along. Sully looked at the lady doctor.

"Adoption? 'Course I thought about it. I just never thought it mattered, ya know? I'm givin' 'em a good home."

"Yes, but technically, they could be taken from you, Sully. You don't have any legal or parental ties to them."

"Charlotte gave 'em to me, so I don't think it'd be right for nobody to take 'em away."

"I agree. But, some people don't care about that. I'm just suggesting that it would be in your best interest, and theirs, if you were to go about a legal adoption." Sully swallowed hard and looked at Brian. The thought of never getting to rock him to sleep again at night broke his heart. There had been mornings when Colleen had desperately pleaded with her father to braid her hair, and though Sully didn't know a thing about braiding, he always tried to help her out. He couldn't picture what it would be like to live alone again.

"Ya know, until right now, I never thought 'bout Ethan takin' 'em away." Michaela felt bad for making him worry, but she knew that it was better to wonder and worry about it rather than to be completely surprised if a day came that Ethan returned to take them away.

They continued to walk until they arrived at the nearest creek. While Colleen pinned up her skirt above her knees, and Matthew rolled up his pant legs, they waded in the water while it was still at a decent temperature. Soon, the earth and the water would be too cold to have this much fun.

Michaela and Sully sat down upon the soft grass, and Michaela placed Brian in his father's lap. Brian continued to sleep as the breeze blew over the water, causing the water to ripple even out of reach of the children's splashes.

"I never noticed how much they changed since I got 'em," Sully noted. Michaela gazed at Sully with a smile upon her lips.

"How have they changed?"

"Well, Colleen still had her two front teeth when I first took 'em in. She was probably a couple inches shorter. Her hair's grown longer than it was. Matthew's at least a half a foot taller than he used to be. His hair's a lot brighter. It used to be nearly brown like his ma's. Brian, well, he's changed a lot, 'cause he was just born when I took him in." Michaela smiled.

"I know I've told you this before, Sully, but you are doing an amazing job with them. They think the world of you."

"I gotta say the same thing 'bout you."

"What?"

"Every time the kids leave the clinic, they always have somethin' nice to say 'bout ya. Colleen looks up to ya, and I think it's good that she's got a lady in her life again." Michaela smiled, and her cheeks blushed. "I'm glad to have ya in my life, Dr. Mike." Michaela's hand moved to caress Sully's lightly stubbled face. His hand moved to lie over hers, and he brought it to his lips to kiss her knuckles. Michaela's heart skipped a beat, and the two leaned in toward one another. When their lips met, it was as if a spark moved from their lips to their hearts, igniting more passionate feelings.

"Ooooh," the children giggled from the water. Michaela and Sully pulled away from one another quickly to look over and see the children standing still in the water watching them. Colleen giggled, and Sully gave them a stern glance, but he couldn't help but smile.

"What's so funny?"

"You're kissin' . . . eeeew," Colleen replied. Michaela blushed with a happy sort of embarrassment, and when the children turned back to playing, and Wolf jumped in the creek to play as well, Michaela and Sully looked at one another and couldn't help but laugh.

"Guess they'll understand when they're older," he whispered, caressing her cheek. Michaela felt shivers course throughout her body.

As they were leaning in for another kiss, a horse came galloping up, sounding like thunder in the sky. It was Cloud Dancing! Michaela and Sully immediately stood, and Colleen and Matthew rushed out of the creek. Sully handed Brian to Michaela.

"Hey Cloud Dancin'!" Matthew said cheerfully.

"Haho, my family," Cloud Dancing greeted them. Sully noticed that Cloud Dancing had brought along an extra horse.

"What's goin' on?" Sully wondered.

"Dog Soldiers are planning an attack on the white men in order to get food," Cloud Dancing replied. "They will not listen to me, but they will consider listening to you, because you are white. You can talk to the white men." Sully glanced nervously at Michaela.

"I gotta do this," he explained.

"Pa, be careful," Colleen whispered, tugging on his hand. Sully picked her up and hugged her before putting her back down.

"I'll be back 'round dark," he said quietly. "Dr. Mike, do ya mind takin' 'em?"

"Of course not. We'll be fine," Michaela promised. Sully nodded, mounted Cloud Dancing's spare horse, and they rode off toward the reservation with Wolf running after them. After a few moments, Michaela looked down at Colleen and Matthew and shifted Brian onto her hip. "Come along. We'll go have pie at Grace's." The children started toward town, and Michaela lingered for a few seconds, worrying about Sully, before she started after them with Brian.

* * *

Colleen sat upon Michaela's bed as the young doctor went about dusting off her bedside tables. Colleen was glancing curiously at a beautiful china doll that sat upon the bureau. Michaela caught the gleam in young Colleen Cooper's eye and smiled.

"Her name is Ella," Michaela explained. "I honestly don't know why I still have her. My mother bought her for me when I was about your age."

"Really?" Colleen asked.

"Really," Michaela replied. She put her dusting cloths down and moved to take the doll off of her stand. Michaela smiled at the memory of receiving it for her sixth birthday. "It was my sixth birthday when I received Ella."

"Really! My sixth birthday is next week! I don't think Pa could afford one of those though," Colleen replied. "But that's okay. Matthew and Brian would break it anyway." Michaela smiled softly and sat down next to Colleen on the bed.

"My mother told me that she wasn't for playing with. She said that Ella could be broken so easily, so I never played with her."

"Never!" Colleen asked. The doctor nodded. "A doll that never gets played with? Why would your ma give ya a doll that ya ain't allowed to play with?"

"She said that one day I could give Ella to my daughter," Michaela replied. She swallowed hard and traced her fingertips along the beautiful painted face of the black-haired doll. Colleen watched her with wide eyes. "As I grew older, I realized that a doll who wasn't played with wasn't a doll at all. It was merely something to be stared at and admired for its beauty. But it wasn't shown the love a doll should be shown from a little girl. I never once got to brush her hair or change her dress for fear that she would shatter in my hands, and mother would be angry with me."

"That's sad," Colleen said quietly.

"Well, I always planned on giving her to my first-born daughter," Michaela explained. "But, Ella hasn't had somebody to love her with all of their heart, and I don't think anyone should have to wait for that." She slowly handed the delicate doll to Colleen. "But, I'm sure you can show her what it's like to be a real doll."

"Ya mean . . . she's mine!" Colleen asked with excitement in her voice.

"She's yours. Consider her an early sixth birthday present." Colleen placed the doll gently on the bed before leaping into Michaela's lap.

"Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!" Colleen exclaimed, hugging her tightly. Michaela held the girl close, loving how just the simplest gesture of giving a doll to Colleen had made her beam with happiness. What she wouldn't give for life to be so simple again. Childhood seemed to have been a billion years ago.

Brian began to cry in the other room, and Michaela let Colleen remove herself from her lap before she stood to go check on the boy. He was toddling about one of the recovery rooms while Matthew sat upon the bed with a few woodcarvings that Sully had made for him.

"What's the matter?" Michaela asked as Brian came toddling over with his arms outstretched. Tears streaked down his cheeks as his little chest shuddered from his sobs. She picked him up, and he buried his face on her shoulder.

"He wanted to play with one of my toys, but he's too young," Matthew pointed out. Michaela sighed.

"It's polite to share."

"But, he always breaks all my stuff," Matthew argued. At that point, a frantic call from downstairs echoed up into the bedroom. Michaela rushed down the stairs with Brian in her arms, and the older Cooper children followed right behind her.

Horace was holding a screaming Sam in his arms and was shaking with fright.

"Children, please wait outside with your brother," Michaela said softly. She handed Brian to Matthew, and the three were ushered out the door. Michaela quickly took Sam into her arms.

"What happened?" she inquired, listening to his heart through her telescope.

"His temperature just soared, and he started cryin'. He wasn't hungry, 'cause Myra fed him 'fore she left."

"Left?"

"She rode out to Widow Baker's house to take her some soup from Grace's. She left me with him for a few hours, and that was when he started getting worse." Michaela opened up the baby's shirt and slowly moved to unwrap his bandages. What she saw before her made her gasp. "What happened? Dr. Mike? Ya said he was gonna be alright!"

"Horace, I need you to wait outside."

"I ain't leavin'!" Horace yelled.

"Go now," Michaela replied. "You being here is not going to help your son. I need to operate now and cut away the infected tissue." Horace realized how bad that sounded, and he watched as his son lie writhing in pain. A moment later, he was being pulled out the door by a worried Robert E."

"C'mon. Let Dr. Mike do her job, Horace." When Michaela was alone with the baby, she began her emergency attempt to save his life.

* * *

A crowd had gathered outside of the clinic, and Brian was growing restless in the confines of his brother's arms. Colleen was walking about with Ella in her arms, pretending that Ella was a real baby.

"Alright, Brian!" Matthew exclaimed with exasperation. He put the boy down but took his hand firmly in his own. Brian began to walk around, tugging on his brother's arm.

While Colleen was over talking with another girl from school and showing off the beautiful doll that Michaela had given her, one of Matthew's wood carvings fell into the dusty street. He let go of Brian's hand for a moment to kneel down and pick it up. He noticed that the ear to his carved horse had fallen off.

"Oh no!" Matthew exclaimed. He sighed heavily, and Colleen came walking over.

"What?" the girl asked impatiently as she smoothed the dark hair on her beloved doll.

"Brian made me drop this, and it broke!" Matthew said with frustration in his voice.

"It's alright. Pa can make ya a new one," Colleen said softly. "Don't worry." She looked around. "Matthew, where's Brian?" Matthew stood up quickly, and his other carvings fell into the dirt.

"He was just here!" Matthew exclaimed. "Brian!"

"He's little, and he couldn'ta gotten far," Colleen noted. "C'mon. Let's go find 'im 'fore we get in trouble for losin' him!" The two hurried off in search of their little brother. At that moment, Michaela walked out of the clinic with a grim expression upon her face. The crowd that had gathered was there to support Horace.

"How is he, Dr. Mike?" Grace asked as she held Anthony on her hip. Michaela turned her eyes to Horace and shook her head.

"I'm sorry, Horace. I did everything I could, but Sam was too weak to survive," she said sadly. Horace looked as if he'd been shot right through the heart.

"No!" he yelled. "No! He ain't dead!"

"I'm sorry, Horace. There was nothing I could do."

"You did this," he assumed. "Ya killed my son!"

"Horace, ya don't mean that," Loren spoke up.

"I do! If ya hadn't operated on him in the first place, he'd still be here!"

"You know that isn't true," Michaela reasoned. "Horace, I understand that you're grieving, but the surgery I preformed a few days ago saved his life."

"Then how come he's dead now? Ya killed him, Dr. Mike." He turned to the crowd. "Ya hear that? She killed my son!" Horace ran off, not wanting to go in to see the child that had been his and Myra's for such a short time on earth.

"Horace! It was an infection that killed him, not the surgery!" She had warned him about keeping that little one's stitches clean. Obviously, some sort of infection hadn't been prevented.  
Hank, who'd been at the back of the crowd spoke up.

"I'll go out to Widow Baker's and get Myra," he said softly. "She's gonna need to find out sooner or later." He looked at the doctor and then turned to go to his horse. Michaela received angry and disappointed looks from those in the crowd except for a select few. Loren gave Michaela a sympathetic look but turned to walk home with Maude. Grace and Robert E. stood with Michaela for a few moments before going home with their children. Jake Slicker remained, much to Michaela's surprise.

"Mr. Slicker?" What was he going to do? What was he going to say to make this situation even more upsetting to Michaela? Jake stepped closer and shook his head.

"I'm the one that handles the buryin'."

"I see. Well, what do you need me to do?" Jake was a bit surprised. People didn't often ask him that.

"Nothin'. Look, ya may not be my favorite person, and I might not even trust ya, but I know ya didn't kill that baby."

"Why do you believe that?" Michaela wondered, needing to know why he was suddenly taking her side. Memories flashed through Jake's head.

"I've seen it happen before," he replied. He walked off toward his barbershop in silence. Michaela stared after him for a moment before scanning the quickly dimming street as the sun began to set.

"Matthew? Colleen?" she called. She noticed Matthew's wooden carvings lying in the dust. A moment later, Colleen and Brian came running around the side of the clinic.

"Dr. Mike!" Matthew said breathlessly. Michaela knelt before them, immediately noticing that Brian wasn't with them.

"Oh my God! What happened?"

"Brian's gone!" Colleen cried. At that moment, Michaela felt as if the world had collapsed around her. She felt light headed, and her immediate instinct was to hurry off in search of him, but she needed to deal with cleaning Samuel Bing's body so he could be presented to his parents. She needed to deal with helping Myra and Horace through the ordeal.

"What'd ya say, girl?" Loren asked, realizing that he'd needed to check with the doctor about an order she'd placed. He looked at Colleen.

"Brian's gone! Matthew was holdin' his hand one second, and he was gone the next!" Loren saw the devastated look upon Michaela's face, and he knew she couldn't very well leave the clinic unattended with the situation that had just occurred.

"Don't worry, Dr. Mike. The boy's gonna be fine. We'll find him." He went off to organize a search party as Michaela's fears began to grow by the moment.

Just after the search party had headed out, Sully came riding up to the clinic on the horse that Cloud Dancing had leant him. He immediately saw a distressed Michaela and the children.

"Dr. Mike? What's goin' on?" he wondered. Colleen and Matthew were both visibly upset. "Dr. Mike?"

"Pa, Brian's missin'," Matthew spoke up. Before he could say anything further, Sully glanced at Michaela. His initial fear caused him to lash out.

"How did this happen!" he demanded. "How could ya let him outta your sight!" His eyes pleaded with Michaela for an answer.

"Sully, I'm . . ."

"There's a search party that just left," Grace noted, rushing to Dr. Mike's side. She pointed in the direction that the men had ridden, and Sully turned his horse that way, casting another upset look in Michaela's direction. As he left, Michaela felt her heart breaking into a million pieces. How would he ever forgive her?


	13. Chapter Thirteen

**Chapter Thirteen**

Hank rode up to the Widow Baker's house just as Myra was about to step up into her wagon. The young woman was surprised to see Hank approaching after sunset.

"Hank?" she asked. "What's goin' on?" Hank had always been kind to her, and she was always grateful for that considering his reputation in town. "It's late."

"I know," Hank replied. She saw the funny look in his eyes, and she knew that he was out here for some reason that she couldn't figure out.

"I'm just ridin' back into town. It's 'bout time to feed Sam." She placed the empty basket she'd brought Widow Baker's soup in into the bed of the wagon. "What's goin' on?" she repeated.

Watching as worry crept over Myra's face made this more difficult for Hank to say. He realized that it wasn't his place, and Horace was supposed to be the one to tell her.

"I came to get ya, 'cause ya need to get back in town right now."

"What is it?" Myra demanded. "Tell me, Hank."

"I ain't the one ya ought to hear this from," he replied softly. Her maternal instincts kicked in and tears sprang to her eyes.

"Is it Sam? Is it Horace? What happened, Hank?"

"Ya shouldn't hear it from me. Ya need to go talk to Horace," he said adamantly. He wasn't usually so worried about keeping his nose out of people's business, but he knew that he wasn't the one who was supposed to tell Myra what had happened. Hank turned to go back to his horse, but Myra rushed over to grab his arm. He knew she meant no harm, but she was terrified. He shouldn't have even said anything.

"I don't wanna hear it from nobody when I get back into town. I wanna hear it right now!" she demanded, anger rising in her voice. Hank sighed heavily and swallowed hard. He couldn't help but open up to Myra. She was beautiful, and she had been the only one who'd seemed to want to listen to him when he talked. For as long as he'd known her, she'd been this kind. She didn't deserve to be kept in suspense only to find that her son was dead. Hank looked away. "Hank! Look at me! Tell me what happened."

"Ya don't want me to say it, Myra. Ya don't wanna hear it."

"I want to hear it, Hank, now tell me before I leave ya out here in the dark and find out for myself!" Hank shook his head, not wanting to see her cry. She was getting angry now. "Is it Horace? Is he sick?" He shook his head again.

"No, it ain't Horace." Myra turned around and started toward the wagon.

"My baby needs me, then. I'm gonna go home to him."

"Myra, no," Hank called to her. She turned back.

"What do ya mean, no? He's my son, and he needs me!" Her stomach was tying up with knots, and her head was starting to swim.

"What I mean is that he got sick. Horace took 'im to the doc, and she did what she could."

"She had to operate? What? What are ya sayin', Hank?"

"I'm sayin' that he got some kinda infection, and the doc couldn't save 'im in time."

"Infection?" Myra asked, completely ignoring the last part of Hank's statement. "What? He's alright, ain't he? He's gonna be alright."

"Ya heard me, Myra. He ain't alright. I'm sorry."

"Sorry? You're sorry? No!" Myra cried.

"He's gone, Myra. Sam died."

"No! You're lyin' to me!" she screamed, running toward the wagon but tripping in her haste. Hank moved to help her up, and she pounded her fists into his chest. "Get away from me! You're lyin' to me! I want my baby!"

"He's gone," Hank said softly, not really knowing what else to say. He'd been raised in a family that wasn't very emotional, so consolations and words of encouragement didn't exactly seem natural to him. Myra shook her head and stood on shaky legs. She made her way back to the wagon and climbed up. "What are ya doin'?"

"I'm goin' home. I need to see my little boy." She wiped her runny nose and her eyes.

"I ain't lettin' ya go by yourself." Horace led his horse over to the wagon, hitched him with the other horse, and scooted into the wagon beside Myra. He took the reigns and the wagon pulled off toward town with an uncomfortable Hank and a grieving mother.

* * *

Jake, Loren, Robert E., Reverend Johnson, and Sully were seated around a fire in the woods. They'd searched all over town, but they hadn't found the boy. He was tiny and shouldn't have been able to get very far, but either he truly had wandered off that far or he had just found a very good hiding place.

"He couldn't have got very far, Sully," Loren assured him. "He's gonna be alright."  
"She shoulda been watchin' 'im."

"She was," Robert E. interjected. "She had an emergency at the clinic."

"What kinda emergency?" Sully wondered. "What kinda emergency could cause her to neglect my kids?"

"She wasn't," Jake spoke up. This surprised everyone around the campfire. Hell, even Jake's presence in the search party surprised them. To be perfectly honest, Jake only went to get away from the talk in town. He hated hearing about Sam's death. Besides, the sooner they found Brian, the better. Another innocent child didn't deserve to die. Just thinking about it made Jake long for a drink. "She left 'im with Matthew and Colleen. They were watchin' 'im before he took off."

"They're too little to be watchin' him like that! Dr. Mike shoulda known better!"

"Let's be reasonable here," the Reverend said quietly. "Sully, ya can't tell me ya haven't left those kids alone together for a few minutes before." Sully swallowed hard and let the Reverend continue. "What happened was a mistake, and I'm sure Dr. Mike feels awful about it. She feels even more awful now." Sully looked at the bleak looking expressions on the men's faces.

"What happened?"

"Horace brought Sam in," Loren said. "He had some kinda infection." Realization came over Sully's face.

"Dr. Mike said somethin' 'bout keepin' it clean so it wouldn't get an infection after the surgery."

"Well, it did get an infection," Robert E. pointed out. "Sam died, and now Horace is blamin' her." That seemed as quite a surprise to Sully.

"But it wasn't her fault." The other men looked at one another. It had to be love. He went from being angry with her one moment to defending her the next. He had it bad!

Loren let out a yawn.

"We best get some sleep."

"I ain't sleepin'," Sully said quietly, throwing a twig into the crackling flames. Loren groaned.

"Oh, ya ain't doin' that boy any good not sleepin'. He'll need ya to be fresh and awake in the mornin'." The other men followed suit in lying down in their sleeping rolls. Sully didn't attempt to lie down. He stared into the flames, picturing all of the different scenarios in his head. What could have happened? What did happen? He felt bad now for snapping at her when he knew she had had an emergency, but why couldn't she have sent them upstairs? Why couldn't she have sent them with Grace or with Maude? He loved her, God he loved her, but he was so upset that his son was lost that he couldn't see past that yet. He needed time to cool off. He needed to find his son.

* * *

Michaela was absolutely distraught as she sat in the newly cleaned examination room, waiting for Myra to come to the clinic. She hoped Hank would return with her soon, though she knew it was going to be difficult to talk to her about the death of her son. She had tried to speak with Horace several times that afternoon, but he had locked himself inside of his home at the back of the telegraph office and refused to come out or speak with her. It was going to take time, and he needed to come to terms with what really happened. Until that happened, he couldn't be reasoned with.

She also couldn't help but wonder what Myra was going to say. Would she blame her as well? She really didn't know what to expect, but she did know that Sam's parents would be grieving for quite some time. She'd been blamed for many things in her career as a doctor, but when it was for the death of a child, it hurt the most.

Then she thought of Brian. She felt so utterly guilty for what had happened. Yes, she'd had an emergency, but she felt she had been a little less careless when it came to the children. Both Colleen and Matthew had tried to console her and take the blame themselves, but her guilt couldn't be swayed. She had sent them to Grace's for the night to keep her and the boys company while Robert E. was off with the search party.

She could only imagine what Sully was thinking. She hated the fact that she'd hurt him, and she wished she could take it all back. She knew she'd never forgive herself if something bad happened to Brian. She knew Sully would never forgive her either.

The clamoring of a wagon broke her from her thoughts, and when she heard it stop in front of the clinic, she knew that Hank had returned with Myra.

The frantic footsteps of a mother in emotional agony made a lump form in Michaela's throat. She blinked back the tears and waited for Myra to enter.

"Dr. Mike!" she cried, rushing in as the door opened swiftly and banged against the wall inside. "Dr. Mike, tell me it ain't true!" The look on Michaela's face felt like a crushing blow to Myra's hopes. What if Hank had been wrong? That was what she had been hoping. "No!"

"Myra, I'm so sorry," Michaela whispered, wiping a tear from her own cheek. "I did everything I could, but the infection spread so quickly. He was too weak to fight it." Hank was about to step in, but Michaela held a hand up. He only nodded and shut the door to the clinic to give them some privacy. "I feel terrible."

"What happened? Ya said an infection?" she asked. Michaela nodded.

"How? I cleaned the stitches real good 'fore I went out to Widow Baker's house. How could it have happened!" Michaela pulled a chair over for the woman to sit down on. Myra slowly sat and stared up at the doctor.

"It could have been any number of things. Perhaps the sutures were exposed for too long or . . ."

"He was fine when I left," Myra cried. Her face turned as white as a sheet. "Oh, Dr. Mike." She shook her head. "I don't blame you." She stood, and Michaela wrapped her arms around the grieving young woman. "Ya did what ya could for my son, and I'll never forget that. You're a good doctor." She sniffled and pulled away, rubbing her bloodshot eyes. "I wanna see him." Michaela felt the lump in her throat growing larger, and all she could do was nod sadly.

"The third room on the left at the top of the stairs," she managed to whisper. "Would you like me to go with you?"

"No. Please," Myra replied softly, "I need to do this on my own." Michaela backed off and simply nodded.

"Horace needs you now," Michaela whispered softly. "He's angry with me, and he has the right, because he's grieving. He's going to need your support." Myra shook her head.

"No. It's not the time. I need to be with my little boy." She left the room, and all Michaela could do was wait and think about everything that had transpired throughout the day.

A knock came to the door, and Abagail Martin stepped in. Michaela was surprised to see her out at this hour.

"Abagail?"

"Dr. Mike, I wanted to know if there was anything I could do." Michaela shook her head slowly, thinking.

"No, but thank you, Abagail."

"Look, Brian means a lot to me, and I was hopin' . . . well, I figured you'd be goin' to look for him."

"What made you figure that?"

"I'm just getting to know ya is all. I just thought that if you were gonna go . . . I could come too." Michaela shook her head again.

"No, that's alright." Sobs were heard from upstairs.

"That's Myra?"

"Yes."

"It's real sad 'bout her baby." Abagail gave a sympathetic look to the young doctor before leaving the clinic, disappointed that she couldn't help find Sully's son. She had wanted to be happy that this could put a wedge between the doctor and Sully, but Michaela was so upset that she couldn't help but feel sorry for her.

Footsteps tapped on the stairs as Myra made her way back from saying goodbye to her baby boy. Michaela stood and watched as Myra came out.

"As soon as Robert E. comes back, we'll start with the funeral preparations." Myra nodded.

"I need a place to stay."

"What about Horace?"

"I can't see him right now, Dr. Mike. I just can't . . ." Michaela swallowed hard. She knew better than to press the grieving young woman.

"You're welcome to stay here." Myra nodded.

"I'm going to go for a walk. I just need to be alone. I think I'll stay at the boardin' house tonight." She left without another word, and after she'd disappeared into the darkness of the night, Michaela headed upstairs, packed her saddlebags, pulled her coat on and went outside to saddle Bear. Five minutes later, she was riding out in search of Brian.

* * *

The men had been out since before daybreak, and they were continuing their search for the boy. They'd scoured every part of the woods that Brian could have gotten to, but he was nowhere in sight. A boy of his size couldn't have gotten far, and the only other thing that any of them could think of was that someone had picked him up and took off with him as if he were somebody's lost horse.

"Wolf, c'mere, boy," Sully said, holding Brian's bed blanket up to his nose for the third time that morning. Wolf hadn't caught a scent yet. Loren and Jake looked at one another skeptically, but Robert E. moved to stand by his friend. Reverend Johnson took a sip from the water canteen. Wolf whimpered and stuck his tongue out to pant.

"Why don't we turn back to town and get somethin' hot to eat at Grace's?" Robert E. suggested. "Then we can come back out and look some more."

"Ya make it sound like we're lookin' for a lost dog or somethin'," Sully snapped. "My son's out there somewhere, and I ain't restin' 'til I have him back safe."

"Alright, look," Reverend Johnson spoke up. "You didn't sleep last night, but the least you could do is eat. Helping Brian also means keeping yourself strong."

"He's right, Sully," Jake noted. Loren nodded as well. Sully decided that going back to town would be a good idea. Perhaps someone had found little Brian and was keeping him safe until his Pa arrived. So, the men started back toward town, and Sully mounted his horse to rest his weary legs for a while. Everything seemed to be spinning. All he wanted to do was take back the last day. He wanted to take back what he'd said to Michaela after Brian went missing, and he wanted his son home safe. Why did this have to happen to little Brian of all people? He was too young and small to defend himself against the forces of nature or the creatures that roamed around while human eyes weren't watching.

* * *

Myra unlocked the door to the telegraph office, knowing that it was time to go in and face her husband. Funeral arrangements for baby Samuel couldn't be made until Jake and Robert E. arrived anyway. She needed to talk to Horace. She had to know how this could have happened to their boy.

"Horace?" she asked, her voice weak and cracking. She'd not slept at all the night before and had only wandered about, thinking about everything that had happened. Now it was time to face the father of her child; the man who had been caring for her son. He was the one who let him get the infection that ultimately killed him.

Shuffling was heard about in the back room, and Myra swallowed hard. She brushed the tears out of her eyes and smoothed her hair down. She knew she looked like a mess, but her appearance paled in comparison to the wreckage inside her heart.

"Horace, come out. I wanna talk to ya." When Horace didn't appear, she slowly pushed the door open. Papers were scattered about the floor of the telegraph office, and she figured he'd come out of the bedroom long enough to search for something. He'd obviously become frustrated when he couldn't find it.

He was sitting upon the bed with an empty bottle in his hands. His hair was a mess, and his face had no color. He looked as if he was about ready to keel over, but as he looked up at his wife, a glimmer of recognition and life sparked in his dark, sad eyes. It broke Myra's heart right away to see her husband in such a state. But, just knowing that Sam's death could have been prevented made her anger begin to rise again.

"What happened to ya?" she asked. "I ain't never seen ya touch a drop of alcohol before."

"Ya know what happened," Horace sputtered and slurred. "Our baby is dead!"

"I know," she whispered.

"Where were ya?"

"I couldn't come home."

"Why not?"

"I had to be alone." She moved to pull the whiskey bottle out of his hands. She studied it in her hands for a moment and gripped it so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

"I needed ya," he whispered.

"You needed me?" Myra asked softly, tears streaming down her cheeks again. "Horace, I left for a couple hours to take soup to Widow Baker. I trusted ya for just a few hours to make sure our little boy was comfortable and feelin' good. How did it happen? Horace! Look at me!" She placed her hand on his cheek and tilted his head up so she could look into his bloodshot eyes. "Ya didn't need me." She shoved the empty bottle back into his hands and started for the door.

"Myra, wait!" he exclaimed, trying to stand from the bed. She froze in her place and waited for him to say something more. "She killed our baby, Myra. I need ya to grieve with me." Myra turned on her heels.

"Take it back," she whispered, her voice trembling. Horace stood and held onto the bedpost for support.

"I won't."

"Dr. Mike didn't do nothin' wrong! She saved Sam's life! You were the one who was s'posed to be takin' care of him while I was out helpin' Widow Baker! How could ya let it happen!" She was lashing out, and Horace had never seen her like this before! "You did this." Her own words to her husband lay heavy in her heart, and she turned around to run from the room, catching a glimpse of Sam's cradle out of the corner of her eye. She couldn't be there. Not now. Not anymore.

* * *

Colleen sat on Abagail's lap at Grace's Café, helping herself to some more eggs. Matthew wasn't very hungry, and was poking at the sausage on his plate as he sat next to Martin.

"C'mon, ya gotta eat somethin'," Martin encouraged him. "Your Pa will be back in no time with your little brother, ya just watch." Matthew shook his head and only continued to move his food about the plate with his fork. Grace came over with a pitcher full of milk.

"Ya didn't even have cookies at all yesterday," Grace said, feeling his forehead. He ducked away from her and moved closer to Martin. Grace sighed. "Matthew, your Pa is gonna be home real soon."

"Everybody keeps sayin' that," Matthew replied.

"It's true," Colleen said with wide eyes. "He'll be home in no time, right Abby?"

"That's right," Abagail replied with a smile on her face.

"I can't believe Dr. Mike went out there alone," Maude said, taking a seat next to her daughter.

"I hope Dr. Mike'll be alright," Colleen said softly, hope quickly fading from her sweet face. She held Ella close to her, cherishing the doll that the lady doctor had given her.

"Everybody we love leaves us," Matthew whispered solemnly. "First Ma died. Pa left us long before that. Now Brian's gone. Pa and Dr. Mike . . ."

"Shut up!" Colleen cried. "Take it back!"

"Matthew, look what you did," Maude scolded. "Ya shouldn't upset your little sister like that." Matthew immediately felt guilty.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. Colleen wrapped her arms around Abagail's neck, and Abagail swallowed hard.

"Come on, Colleen. Let's go clean them tears off of your face." She picked the girl up and started out of the café. Matthew followed, leaving Martin and Maude at the table alone as Grace served the rest of the customers.

Abagail carried Colleen over to sit upon the bench outside of the clinic. She sat beside her and pulled a clean handkerchief out of her pocket to wipe the tears off of Colleen's face. Matthew hung his head.

"I'm sorry for what I said, Colleen. I didn't mean it. Pa and Dr. Mike'll be home soon. Maybe they met up and found Brian together. Then they'll come home and we can all be a family." Abagail's heart hurt at that moment, knowing that the children were settling into a life with Sully and Michaela courting. But she found herself surprisingly less jealous than usual. What really mattered was getting Brian home safely, and she found herself thinking less and less about Sully and Dr. Mike or their feelings for one another. In fact, she'd spent the whole night before crying in Martin's arms, praying for a safe return for Brian. She had to admit to herself that being in Martin's arms felt nice. "Don't worry, Colleen," Matthew said again. Colleen held Ella close and looked at her brother.

"It's okay, Matthew. I forgive ya." Matthew smiled at his little sister and looked at Abagail. "Ya think Pa will still be mad at Dr. Mike?"

"I dunno," Matthew said honestly. "He shouldn'ta got mad at her anyway. It was my fault for not watchin' Brian close enough."

"Now don't go blamin' yourself," Abagail said softly. "Why don't the two of ya go run and play with RJ and Thomas?"

"I don't feel like playin'," Colleen replied softly. At that moment, the sound of horses thundered into town, and Colleen immediately saw her father and Wolf at the head of the group. "Pa!" The horses stopped in front of the clinic, and Sully jumped off of his horse to take his daughter into his arms. "Pa, I missed you!"

"I missed both of ya too," Sully replied, hugging Colleen close. Matthew was looking around.

"Where's Brian?" Sully swallowed hard.

"We're gonna go get some breakfast at Grace's and head back out."

"Ya didn't find him yet? He's still out there!" Matthew asked.

"We're doin' all we can, boy," Loren said quietly. "Don't fret now." Sully looked at the clinic door.

"Where's Dr. Mike?"  
"She ain't here," Colleen spoke up as Sully placed her back on the porch. Sully looked at Abagail.

"She left late last night to look for Brian. "'Least, that's where I'm assumin' she went. When I talked to her, it seemed like that was what she was intendin' to do." Sully sighed with exasperation and shook his head. He had the great urge to punch his fist into the wall, but he controlled himself.

"Don't be mad at Dr. Mike!" Matthew yelled, seeing his father's anger. "She felt bad when ya yelled at her! That's prob'ly why she went out there to look for 'im! She probably don't want ya feelin' mad at her no more!."

"Matthew," Sully started, kneeling down on the porch.

"No!" the boy replied angrily. "I thought ya liked Dr. Mike!"

"Ya know I do, Matthew. It's just that adults gotta be more responsible when it comes to watchin' kids."

"She was!" Colleen replied, jumping to Dr. Mike's defense. "Didn't nobody tell ya that she sent us outside when baby Sam got sick? It wasn't her fault." Sully glanced at the men on their horses. They'd told him so.

"If you're gonna blame anybody, Pa, blame me, 'cause I didn't watch him good." Matthew turned and ran off. Colleen glanced up at her father.

"Dr. Mike likes ya an awful lot, Pa. She cried a lot when Brian went missin'. If ya woulda seen her, ya woulda known." Colleen went off after her older brother, and Sully mounted his horse again, feeling even guiltier than ever. He'd caused Michaela so much grief and worry, and his own anger had caused her to go out on her own into the woods. God, she didn't know those woods at all! What if she was hurt or worse?

"Let's get to Grace's and have a bite 'fore we go on out to look for the boy again," Loren suggested, taking the lead of the group. The others followed, and Sully lingered back for a moment, staring at the clinic and remembering the first time he realized he was falling in love with her. She'd been comforting Colleen after a nightmare, and she had had such a way with her. For God's sakes, she had helped Brian the first day she arrived in Colorado Springs. How could he have ever doubted her? He'd left the children with her so many times, and they'd always been fine. It had been one instance, and now little Brian was missing. His grief for not having his little boy at the moment had overpowered everything else, and now that a new day had begun with more hope for finding him in the daylight, Sully's guilt for yelling at Michaela was growing even more.

As he was starting to join the other fellows at Grace's, he saw quite a sight. Jake was the next to notice, and he pointed in that direction.

"Look!" Jake called out. Flash was galloping across the meadow, crossing the bridge from the churchyard, and starting down the dirt road toward the clinic. Sully's heart leapt for joy at the sight. Michaela was riding with something bundled up in her coat. It was Brian! It had to be!

"Whoa," Dr. Mike called out tiredly. Bear stopped in front of the clinic, and the search party rushed to the doctor's side. Several of the town's folk, including those who had been at Grace's Café, came running over. Sully dismounted his horse and rushed over. Michaela's eyes were sad, but she swallowed hard and nodded to let them know he was alright. Sully helped her down, his eyes staring into hers, filled with so much love. He was so grateful to her for finding his little boy. Sully wanted to take him into his arms, but Michaela had him held closely to her body.

"Where'd ya find him?" Abagail wondered.

"There was a small ravine not far past the line of the woods that he stumbled into. I don't know how he made it all the way out there, but I need to treat him for his injuries."

"Is he going to be alright?" Grace asked. Michaela nodded and moved inside of the clinic. Sully followed and shut the door behind himself. Michaela didn't look at him. How could she? She felt guilty for what had happened to Brian, and she was also upset at the way Sully had treated her. It wasn't as if she had meant for it to happen.

"Dr. Mike . . ."  
"Sully, I understand that you want to stay with him, but I need to concentrate," she said in a professional manner. That hit Sully like a slap in the face. She really was upset with him. He couldn't blame her, but it still upset him. He stood back as Michaela worked on Brian. The boy was brave and not crying at all despite the scratches on his arms and leg. He even had a small bump on his head. "You're a brave boy, Brian." Michaela smiled and talked to him in soothing words as Sully watched. All the while, he felt even worse. Now that Brian was safe, he could see clearly now. He'd acted harshly and lashed out to hurt Michaela. He hadn't wanted to, but he couldn't help it. He loved her so, and those kids had been his entire world before she showed up. After the gratitude he felt came the unbearable guilt that he had broken her heart.

Before too long, Brian was as good as new and smiling happily. Michaela was feeling rather ill and exhausted, so she placed the boy in his father's arms. When her eyes met Sully's gaze, she saw that he was hurting. If only she'd sent the children upstairs this wouldn't have happened. Because of her, she thought, that hurt was in Sully's eyes. She was hurting too.

"He can go home now," she said with a brief smile in a professional tone. Sully nodded.

"Dr. Mike, thank you for bringin' him home. If it wasn't for you . . ."

"If it wasn't for me, he wouldn't have gotten hurt. I just want you to know that I'm very sorry." Sully sighed heavily.

"Ya know what I'm tryin' to say." She wasn't ready to talk to him about this just yet.

"It's been a long morning, Sully, and I'm going to be rather busy all of this afternoon. If you'll excuse me . . ." He knew she was pushing him away, and he didn't want that. He wanted her happy; he wanted her with him.

"Alright," he said softly, not wanting to upset her any further. "Try to get some rest, huh?" Michaela only nodded and turned her back away. Sully moved to the door with Brian. "Thanks, Dr. Mike." When she didn't respond, he left to go find Matthew and Colleen. Michaela, on the other hand, waited for Robert E. and Jake to come take care of Sam's funeral preparations before closing the clinic and going upstairs to rest and think about what she was going to do next.


	14. Chapter Fourteen

**Chapter Fourteen**

It was later than afternoon when Michaela sat upon her bed with a few letters in her hand. There was one that hadn't been opened, and it was from her father in Boston. She'd received it a couple of days ago, but hadn't had the chance to read it with everything that had been going on. She figured that now was as good a time as any to open it. When she pulled the ivory-colored paper out of the envelope, she unfolded it and began to read it silently to herself.

_Dear Mike,_

_I was so happy to receive your last letter. I hope the world of the Colorado Territory is treating you well, but you must know that your mother and I miss you terribly. Rebecca just gave birth to your niece. They named her Louise, and she is an absolute delight! Rebecca misses you, and though you may not believe me, your other sisters do as well. You must tell me more about this Sully person in your next letter. You've intrigued me, and I'm starting to believe that you may have feelings for him. Well, your mother nearly keeled over when she found out about the goings on in Colorado Springs and this mysterious Sully character, but don't you worry, she'll be fine. I'm sorry to cut this letter so short, but I have a late appointment at the hospital that I'm actually running late for myself. I hope to hear from you soon, my dear._

_Your loving father,_

_Josef Quinn M.D._

Michaela held the letter against her heart as tears sprung to her eyes. She missed her father terribly, and it had been a long while since she'd seen him. She hadn't intended to go back for a long time, but with everything that had happened, it was obvious that she wasn't cut out for life in the West. In all of the time she'd been there, she had managed to anger many people, endanger the child of the man she loved, and deliver a beautiful baby to one of her friends, only to lose him later on. No, the citizens of Colorado Springs needed somebody that they could feel they could trust. Faith in the young woman doctor wasn't something she expected from them anymore.

She looked over at her suitcases. They were half-full, and her closets were nearly bare. In the morning, she was going to pay the stagecoach driver to take her to the Denver train station. From there, she was going to go back home to Boston to practice medicine beside her father.

Tears trickled down her cheeks as she put the letters away in a compartment in one of her cases. She walked over to the balcony and threw open the doors. She looked down into the cool September scene. Everything was more beautiful than when she'd arrived. This place had become her home, and now she was leaving home once again.

She noticed Sully walking over from the livery. What was he doing back here? She saw the children with Grace on the porch of Grace and Robert E.'s house. He was coming in this direction, and she knew he was going to want to talk. She couldn't see him now.

She moved back inside of the clinic and shut the doors to the balcony. She heard his knocks on the door downstairs, and her heart broke. She desperately wanted to run into his arms and hold him until the end of time, but happy endings like that only happened in fairytales and in some books she'd read in her early years of school. She was upset with him, and rightfully so, but she knew he was also upset. They did need to talk, yes, but she couldn't face him after what had happened. She felt low, but she figured she'd write him a letter on her way to Denver and mail it as soon as she arrived at the depot. It would be far less heartbreaking than seeing the hurt in his eyes all over again.

Who was she kidding? She wasn't some little girl who was too afraid to face a friend after a falling out. No. She was an adult who could make up her own mind and have her own opinions. She was a smart, beautiful woman who could have any man she wanted. Oh, who was she kidding now? She only wanted Sully!

She heard the door open downstairs. She thought for sure she'd locked it earlier, but in her emotional state, she probably hadn't.

"Dr. Mike?" came his beautiful voice, filled with worry and regret. She swallowed hard. She couldn't see him now. But, that didn't stop her from calling out to him.

"I'm upstairs!" Her breath caught in her throat, and she felt as if she were choking. His footsteps began to ascend the stairs, and she felt as if her heart would burst. She moved over to lean against the closed door. He couldn't see her packing. She couldn't tell him yet. She'd tell him in the morning before she left for Denver. If she woke early enough, she'd be back in time to catch the eight o'clock stage.

His knuckles rapped on her door, and she choked back the tears.

"Dr. Mike?"

"Um, what do you need, Sully?"

"I thought this would be a good time for us to talk." She knew it!

"Sully, I'm rather tired."

"Ya said you were gonna be busy all day, but I guess ya were wrong. This won't take long."

"Please," she said softly. "I'm not feeling well, and I'd like to be alone." What could he say to that? He needed to talk to her. He needed to apologize, and she needed to apologize. Why was she being so stubborn? Why did she sound so afraid? He had to give her time. She'd come around.

"Alright. I hope ya get to feelin' better." A moment later, he was gone, and she was in tears again.

* * *

Horace was passed out in bed with another empty whiskey bottle at his side. Myra stood with her bags in her hands. The man who'd once been her best friend and taken her in when she had nobody else had turned into someone she didn't even know anymore. They were burying their baby in two days, and he'd probably be too drunk to pull himself out of bed and put on a decent shirt and tie for the service. 

She remembered their wedding day. She'd been so happy to know that she'd have someone to love her for the rest of her life and make her feel secure in every way. That had changed drastically in the matter of a day, and now she didn't think there was any going back.

"I don't know you anymore," she whispered, glancing around the room. "Ya never woulda hurt a fly, Horace. I know you're hurtin', but drinkin' ain't the way to fix it. I made a mistake in leavin' ya alone with him. I shoulda known that ya couldn't watch him every minute. But, ya promised me ya'd keep an eye on him. What happened? What happened to ya, Horace?" She brushed the tears out of her eyes. It seemed as if she couldn't keep from crying whenever she thought about how this entire situation could have been prevented. "Goodbye, Horace."

Myra turned to the door, glimpsing Sam's cradle in the corner. Sometimes she thought she was just dreaming and that Sam would appear in his cradle just as sweet and sound as he was when she last saw him alive.

She blinked the tears away and left without a second glance toward Horace. She started off toward the Widow Hanson's to see if she could get a room at the boarding house.

* * *

The dinner table was quiet at the Sully household that evening. Brian was sleeping, Colleen was quietly eating a piece of bread, and Matthew was staring down into his plate. Sully knew the boy was upset with him, but he figured there wasn't anything he could do about it right now. 

"Matthew, ya know I don't blame ya for what happened."

"No," Matthew whispered, "but I wish ya did."

"Matthew," Sully began, "I went to talk to Dr. Mike today, but she wasn't feelin' good. I'll talk to her tomorrow."

"Ya can't stay mad at her, Pa. She didn't mean for it to happen," Colleen explained.

"I know," Sully replied. "And I know she feels bad, but I'm gonna talk to her tomorrow, alright?"

"Promise?" Matthew wondered.

"I promise," Sully replied with a smile.

"Are ya gonna propose to her?" Colleen asked, her eyes going wide. Sully nearly choked on the sip of milk he'd taken. The children giggled after Sully cleared his throat.

"Don't you two have homework?"

"Pa, we don't have school 'til next month, remember?" They knew he was avoiding the conversation.

"Oh, right," Sully replied. Brian began to cry, and Sully breathed a sigh of relief for the temporary distraction. He went to take care of the boy, and Colleen looked at Matthew.

"Matthew, if Pa and Dr. Mike get married, Dr. Mike'll be our new Ma."

"So?" Matthew asked. Colleen looked down at her hands that were folded in her lap.

"Well, do ya think Ma would mind?" Matthew pondered his little sister's question for a moment.

"She'd want us to be happy," he replied quietly. "Don't worry, Colleen. Ma loves us, and she won't mind us havin' another ma." Matthew gave his sister a slight hug, and they went back to their dinners.

* * *

When Michaela woke in the morning, it was nearly seven o'clock. She hadn't intended to sleep in that long, and she was even more upset that it was storming outside. There was no way she'd be able to make it out to the homestead in time to get back and meet the stagecoach. She would slip away quietly while the town was just opening up for the day, and Michaela Quinn would no longer be the doctor of Colorado Springs. 

After dressing quickly, Michaela brought her suitcases and bags down the stairs one by one. With each that she brought down, she felt more guilt filling her heart. She would never get to explain why she left to the children. She'd grown so attached to them and they to her.

Thunder rolled over the town as if someone was telling her that she was doing the wrong thing. In her heart, she knew it was wrong, but her actions had hurt so many. She didn't think it would be appropriate to stay any longer. She'd obviously overstayed her welcome in a town where she hadn't been fully accepted to begin with.

She'd stayed up late into the night to pack up all of her equipment. She'd have the bigger things sent later, because it would be far too expensive to bring them along right now. It was no wonder she'd woken up so late!

It was seven thirty now, and she knew that the stage would be pulling into town in about fifteen minutes. She realized that she had to tell Reverend Johnson about her plans.

She looked at herself in the mirror. She was wearing a beautiful dress that she'd managed to keep clean and safe from the dust of the streets, and she had a hat pinned into her hair. She looked like she'd just stepped out of Boston at that moment, but the fact of the matter was that she was going back for good. For good. That wasn't the appropriate thing to think. Nothing about this situation was good, and she doubted it ever would be.

When the rain let up a bit, Michaela rushed across town, holding her skirt up a bit so it wouldn't drag in the mud. She made her way to the church across the meadow and rapped upon the back door of the church. Reverend Johnson came out with a towel draped on one shoulder and shaving cream upon his face. He would've scraped up two bits to pay Jake for a shave if he wasn't running low on money that week.

"Sorry to disturb you, Reverend."

"It's alright. I'll do this later. You seem upset." He quickly wiped the white foam off of his face before he invited her inside. They made their way into the main part of the church, and Michaela sat down upon the first pew.

"I don't have much time," she said softly.

"What is it?" He sat down next to her. "I know you've been under an awful lot of stress lately."

"Yes. Well, I wanted to inform you that I'm leaving my position here in Colorado Springs. I'm going back to Boston."

"What?" The Reverend nearly yelped the words. "Why are ya leavin'?"

"For several reasons, Reverend. I meant to go out to tell Sully this morning, but the stage will be here very soon."

"You're leaving without saying goodbye?"

"It wasn't my intention," she said softly. "But it'll be better this way if I leave. He doesn't need me."

"Of course he needs you! The entire town needs you. Look, Sully'd have my neck if I told ya this, but he was real upset about this while we were looking for Brian. He didn't understand it at first, but now he knows what really happened. He feels awful 'bout it. I've seen it in his eyes, Dr. Mike. Ya can't let him go on thinking he's hurt ya that bad. It'd kill him." Those words stung, but Michaela knew that this was best for everyone.

"I'm sorry, Reverend. I'll be sending for the rest of my things. I'm sure you'll find a doctor who will better suit this town's needs." She left quickly, leaving the Reverend absolutely baffled. She returned to the clinic just as the stagecoach was rolling into town.

The Reverend, however, saw Sully's wagon approaching town. He quickly rushed out to meet them.

"Hey Reverend," Colleen said cheerfully writing out her bonnet since they'd gotten stuck in a downpour on their way into town.

"Good morning children, Sully," the Reverend said with a nod.

"What's wrong?" Sully immediately asked.

"I just spoke with Dr. Mike. She's leaving town." The children looked at each other with fear in their eyes.

"What!" Sully asked, his heart immediately jumping into his throat. "When?"

"Soon as the stage coach leaves. It pulls out in ten minutes," he explained, checking his pocket watch.

"Pa!" Colleen cried. "Ya can't let her go! She has to stay here and make people feel better!" Matthew tapped his father's back urgently.

"Ya can't let her go away. Please go talk to her, Pa!" Matthew begged. Sully had already made up his mind as soon as the Revered had uttered those words.

"I'm goin'," he replied. "Reverend, would ya look after the kids?"

"I won't let them out of my sight. Come along, children." Matthew and Colleen hopped out of the wagon, and Sully placed Brian in the Reverend's arms. A moment later, the wagon was clattering full-force toward the clinic.

* * *

Michaela took a deep breath and opened the clinic door. She was going to have one of the drivers of the coach come help her with her luggage. But, as soon as she stepped out onto the porch, she saw Sully's wagon barreling across town. Her heart nearly stopped beating at that moment, and he practically flew out of the wagon when it came to a halt. 

"Sully! What are you doing?"

"I was just 'bout to ask ya the same thing." Michaela swallowed hard as Sully peered into the clinic to see all of the decorations off of the wall and all of her medicines were gone.

"I'm going home to Boston."

"Why?" he demanded. "The folks here need ya." Michaela shook her head.

"They don't need me," she replied. She waved toward the stagecoach driver to catch his attention. Sully knew he needed to talk some sense into her, but he couldn't do it outside. He took the suitcase from her hand and started into the clinic.

"Sully!" she exclaimed with exasperation. She followed him into the clinic, and the door shut behind her. He placed the suitcase onto the floor next to the others. It was amazing how many things she was taking back with her, when she hadn't arrived with much at all. "You have absolutely no right to . . ."

"To what? To stop ya from doin' somethin' ya know ya don't wanna do?"

"I do want to do this. My father needs me in Boston, and I would like to go back to practice beside him."

"Why are ya lyin' to me? You're lyin' to yourself, because I can see it in your eyes. Ya don't wanna leave." Michaela turned her back on him and moved toward the window. Tears were forming again, and she didn't want him to see her cry.

"Sully, please just let me go," she whispered softly. Sully's breathing had lightened a bit from his excruciatingly worrisome trip from the church. Her sight sat upon the vase he'd put back together for her, and her heart ached to go back to that beautiful time. Everything had been much less complicated.

"Ya can't leave, Dr. Mike," he said softly. "If ya leave, folks are gonna miss ya."

"No they won't. I've done nothing but hurt people."

"That ain't so!" Sully replied. He stepped up behind her, and she felt her heart beginning to pound. "Ya saved a lot of people, and ya made a lot of good friends. This town cares about ya."

"Try telling that to Horace and Myra. Their baby is dead."

"That wasn't your fault." Michaela spun around on her heels.

"What about Brian? He could have been killed because of me!"

"He wasn't," Sully replied quietly. "Dr. Mike, I'm so sorry 'bout the things I said."

"You had every right. You were upset because your son was missing. I would have reacted the same way. I was hurt, yes, but Sully, I forgive you for being upset. I understand why you said those things to me."

"Well, I didn't have the right to treat ya the way I did. I feel bad, Dr. Mike. I didn't want to hurt ya."

"I'm fine."

"No ya ain't," he whispered. "Why can't ya admit that this is all about what happened to Brian?"

"What if it is?" Michaela wondered.

"Then I want ya to know that you're leavin' for no reason. I ain't angry with ya. Ya apologized before for all of it, and I forgave ya, though there wasn't much to forgive. There's no way I could ever stay upset with ya, Dr. Mike. Ya gotta know that by now."

"All I know is that another doctor can do a better job of handing business separately from his personal life. I can't do that since I've become so attached here. I just need to leave."

"No ya don't," Sully urged. Michaela picked up one of the suitcases.

"I have to go. The stagecoach will leave at any minute."

"Let it leave!"

"Don't tell me what to do." Sully swallowed hard as she turned toward the door.

"If you really, truly wanna leave, go get on that stagecoach right now." Michaela's hand froze as she was reaching for the doorknob. She sucked in a deep breath. She needed him to give her a reason to stay, but she couldn't ask him to. She needed him to realize it for himself.

"What have I got to stay for?" she asked softly, tears trickling down her cheeks.

"Ya got me," he said softly, his words full of pure love. Michaela choked back a sob and turned the doorknob.

"Once," she whispered. "But it's changed." She opened the door, and at that moment, Sully knew he was about to lose her forever. He couldn't lose her without her knowing how he felt.

"Michaela!" he called after her. She froze in her place again. That was the first time he'd ever called her that. She slowly turned and saw that tears were in his eyes as well. God, she wanted to throw her arms around him and feel his heart beating inside of his chest against hers.

"Sully?" He stepped closer to her, and the suitcase fell from Michaela's hands and onto the floor with a hard thud. His hands moved to rest on her shoulders and slowly moved down her arms. He stared down into her eyes and was pressing a kiss to her lips a moment later. When their lips parted ways, Sully whispered to her.

"I love you." He opened his eyes and watched as hers opened slowly. They were shining brightly and glistening from the tears. "I love you, Michaela." Taking a shaky breath, Michaela prepared to say the words she'd been saying to him in her heart for a long time.

"I love you too."


	15. Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Fifteen 

Her words filled Sully's heart to the point that he felt as if he could burst with happiness. He looked into her eyes and saw such beauty and life inside of her. He had never seen her so beautiful before, and as she stood there, waiting for him to respond, the storm seemed to pass, and the sun began to shine.

"Sully, I love you too," she whispered again, feeling the words fill her own heart. She'd wanted to tell him for so long, and now that she had, she felt as if she could tell him anything. Sully's arms, still soaking wet from the rain, wrapped around her and pulled her close. His lips found hers again, and as their lips and tongues danced in the timeless rhythm of love, the entire room seemed to spin around them. They were dizzy and drunk on love, and Michaela wondered how she ever could have thought of leaving.

When they parted, Sully framed Michaela's face with his hands.

"You're stayin'?" Her hands moved to rest upon his, and she smiled.

"I'm staying." Their lips met again, and his arms moved to pull her close once more. Their hearts began to beat in the other's rhythm, and each were oblivious to the two sets of peeping eyes in the window.

The sound of the stagecoach rumbling out of town startled Michaela and Sully, and they both looked toward the window to see Colleen and Matthew's grinning faces. The children began to laugh when they'd been caught, and the Reverend came running up behind them. They ran toward the clinic door and burst inside. Reverend Johnson came in with Brian in his arms.

"I'm so sorry," he said quietly. "They just got away from me. When he saw that Sully's hand was resting comfortably on Michaela's hip, and one of her arms was draped around his neck, he cleared his throat. "Come along children."

"Are you two getting married now?" Colleen asked. Michaela's eyes went wide, and she looked at Sully.

"What have you been telling them?" she asked with a laugh.

"Don't worry," he whispered softly. "They're the ones who think it's all so simple." Sully took Brian into his arms. "Thanks for watchin' 'em, Reverend." The Reverend tipped his hat to the lady doctor and went about his way, obviously sure that they wouldn't need to send an advertisement for a new doctor.

"It stopped rainin'," Matthew noted. "We can go home now. Dr. Mike's comin' too, ain't she?"

"She can speak for herself, Matthew," Sully replied quietly. Colleen tugged on her father's hand and wiggled her finger for him to kneel down so she could whisper into his ear. When he did, she whispered:

"Ya should ask her to come to the house for supper tonight." Sully grinned at his daughter and stood back up. He smiled, and Michaela had to smile back. Seeing Sully happy made her even happier.

"Go on out to the wagon," Sully advised his two oldest. The children frowned but knew to give their father a minute with Michaela. When they had left, shutting the door behind themselves, Sully turned his attention back to the woman he loved, while Brian held his arms out to Michaela. "Looks like he loves bein' held by ya too." Michaela smiled. She gently took Brian into her arms and held him close. He smiled and rested his head on her shoulder. "He loves ya."

"That's good, because I'm quite fond of him too," she said with a grin. Her hand softly rubbed Brian's back, and a few moments later, he was sleeping soundly. Sully watched her for a few moments as she swayed back and forth with the sleeping boy in her arms. He actually felt embarrassed for ever having doubted her ways with the children. She was the most nurturing, loving woman he'd ever seen.

"Michaela?" Her eyes brightened when he said her name that way. She smiled at him. "Um . . . do ya mind if I call ya that?"

"Why would I mind?"

"Well, I called ya Dr. Mike all this time, and I just thought . . ."

"Sully, whatever you wish to call me is fine," she replied with a smile. A grin played upon his lips.

"Michaela," he repeated, "would ya like to join us for supper this evenin'?" Michaela looked around the clinic silently, her eyes surveying the work that needed to be done. She gazed back at him, and he put his hand on Brian's back and stepped closer. "Did ya have any appointments scheduled for today?"

"No," she answered softly, a smile slowly spreading across her face. She felt her cheeks growing rosier as Sully's eyes stared into the depths of her entire being.

"Well, how 'bout you come out to the homestead and spend the day?"

"The entire day?" Michaela asked, her heart beginning to beat a little faster.

"Sure. The kids would love to have ya almost as much as I would." Michaela grinned.

"Well, I'd love to, Sully, but as you can see, I have a lot of work to do here."

"Can't it wait?"

"I suppose it could, but I . . ." Sully leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. She was taken by surprise but didn't mind it one bit.

"I'll tell ya what," he started, "if ya come with me today, I'll spend all of tomorrow helpin' ya get unpacked." That sounded wonderful. There was always the possibility of tomorrow being sunny, and spending such a beautiful day with the man she loved, working side-by-side with him in the confines of the clinic sounded like a splendid idea! Perhaps afterwards, they could take a stroll through the meadow all alone and enjoy whatever the rest of the day had left to offer.

"Alright," she breathed softly. "That sounds like a lovely idea." Sully did help her take the suitcases that belonged upstairs up to her room, and when that task was finished, the three joined Matthew and Colleen in the wagon and started off toward the homestead.

* * *

Myra sat on the porch of Widow Hanson's boarding house. She had a book in her hands, but she couldn't concentrate on the words that were typed across the pages. In the morning, they were burying her baby boy. They were sticking him in the ground where he'd never be seen again. He'd be forgotten by those who barely knew him, but he'd forever live in his mother's memory, growing and loving as if he'd never stopped.

She'd never forget his first breath or the first time he cried. She'd never forget how he used to hold onto her finger so tight as she rocked him and nursed him in the wee hours of the morning. Sam was a good little boy, and his mother would never forget how it had felt to carry him for nine months. He'd been safe inside of her from the moment he'd been created until it was time for him to be born. It had been a relatively easy pregnancy, so why did it all have to come crumbling down after he was born? She felt guilty for even thinking that it might have been easier had she miscarried and never gotten the chance to absolutely fall in love with the tiny person that she had helped to create.

Horace was the one person she'd always been able to trust, but now she couldn't trust him anymore. He wasn't the same person to her now that their son was dead. All she saw when she looked at Horace was pain and suffering that their little boy had to have gone through before his tragic death. Horace was no longer security and warmth. She couldn't live in a marriage where she could never stop blaming and hating. After the dust settled after the funeral, she had to move on. She had to get out of the marriage that had already caused her an unbearable amount of pain.

People would look down at her for the way she thought about her husband, but she didn't care. She cared about nothing anymore except for the spirit of her poor little boy. She hadn't eaten since she'd heard the news, and even hunger seemed less painful than the heavy agony that tore at her heart with every beat and every breath she took.

"Miss Myra," Abagail said softly, stepping out onto the porch with a tray in her hands. "Widow Hanson wanted me to bring this out for you. It's kinda chilly out here, and she thought some hot soup would do ya some good."

"Thanks Abagail, but I ain't real hungry right now."

"Ya gotta eat," Abagail said softly, trying not to sound too persistent. Myra shook her head, turning her body away. She stood and walked over to lean against the porch railing. Abagail watched as Myra's spirit darkened and became more depressed. It was painful to watch, especially considering the fact that Myra had been one of the nicest people she'd ever known. Their age difference was only a couple of years, and before Myra married Horace, she and Abagail had been good friends, almost like sisters. It had all changed now, and Abagail only wished there was something she could do to get that close sisterly friendship back.

She stood, placing the tray down on a small table, and she walked over to stand beside Myra. Her hand moved to the older woman's back and rubbed it sympathetically.

"Remember a few years back when we ran away for three hours 'cause I was mad at my Ma and Pa?" Myra smiled a little. Strangely enough, she couldn't remember the last time she had smiled. Perhaps it was the morning Sam died, and she had been helping Dr. Mike to change his bandages, and he'd made a soft coo when the doctor had accidentally touched the sensitive underside of his arm where he was most ticklish.

"I didn't want ya runnin' away all alone."

"We sure weren't good at it, huh? They found us 'fore we even reached Snow Creek."

"Your Pa sure was mad," Myra remembered.

"Yeah, but he bought me a new dress the next day," Abagail replied, rolling her eyes. "He hates yellin' at me, so I suppose I always found it best not to give him a reason to."

"But ya got a new dress out of it," Myra replied. Abagail smiled brightly.

"Sure did," she replied with a laugh. Myra felt something lift off of her shoulders then. She felt lighter now that she had been able to smile and laugh a little. She felt guilty, but she wasn't angry with herself for allowing a laugh to escape or a smile to brighten her mood. She looked gratefully at Abagail. "Thank you." Abagail smiled at her friend.

"Anytime," she replied. "Now will ya please eat?" Myra thought for a moment before her stomach rumbled, answering for her. She and Abagail moved to sit back on the bench, and Myra ate for the first time in what seemed like forever.

* * *

Sitting upon the porch of the homestead was quite relaxing for Michaela. She hadn't been this relaxed in days, and just watching Matthew and Colleen play with Wolf brought more happiness to the woman doctor.

"No!" Colleen giggled. "Get Matthew!" Wolf sniffed the air and went after the boy. Matthew laughed and rushed into the barn. Wolf chased him, and Colleen jogged along behind. Sully came out from the house after putting Brian down for a nap, and he sat down next to Michaela.

"You cold?"

"No, I'm surprisingly warm," she replied. It was the warmest that it had been lately, and rather muggy since the rain had passed. The children were giggling inside of the barn, and Wolf barked.

"Sounds like they're havin' fun," Sully noted. He glanced at Michaela. "What did ya do for fun when you were little?" Michaela blushed.

"I read."

"Read?"

"And I wrote. I always wrote in my diary, and sometimes I would make up stories."

"What kinda stories?"

"Oh, they're nothing, really." Sully knew she was lying, and he wanted to know more about how she acted as a child.

"C'mon, tell me?" Michaela smiled and thought back to her childhood.

"Alright. Let me see if I can remember." She closed her eyes for a minute, and Sully's hand moved to rest on the small of her back. His hand there practically made her toes curl! "Once I wrote a story in my diary about being a princess in a tower in the farthest land. A prince was supposed to come rescue me, and I was going to . . ." She giggled a bit. "I was going to bandage his sore hands when he finished climbing to my window." Sully chuckled. "Then I was going to serve him tea. After that, he whisked me off on his white horse and into the sunset."

"Well, I don't think I can get ya the white horse right now, but the sunset's a different story." He smiled and pointed toward Pike's Peak. "Come dusk, the sky looks beautiful." Michaela smiled, eager to see that with him. As they were staring off toward the high peak, Michaela jumped when she heard a splash and saw Sully get absolutely drenched.

"Oh!" Michaela cried as Sully looked over his shoulder. The children had snuck up with buckets in their hands.

"You little," Sully said with a laugh. "I just got dry!" Matthew ran off with the empty bucket, and Michaela couldn't help but laugh. She stood and protected Colleen, but Colleen ran around the front. Sully noticed Michaela laughing. "Ya think it's funny?" She bit her bottom lip to stop herself from bursting out into continuous laughter.

"Well, you do look rather handsome when you're soaking wet!" A gleam appeared in Sully's eye, and he took the bucket from Colleen. Michaela's eyes went wide, and she knew exactly what he was thinking of doing. "Oh no! You wouldn't! Sully, you wouldn't!"

"Run!" Matthew yelped. Michaela let out shriek and ran around to the other side of the house, while Matthew went to fill up his bucket from the large barrel beside the barn. Sully ran toward Colleen, but she ducked out of the way to go get another bucket from the barn. Michaela pressed herself against the other side of the homestead, hoping Sully wouldn't catch up to her. But then again, if he did, she knew she wouldn't mind that a bit either! This was exhilarating!

"Michaela?" came Sully's voice. She grinned widely and bit her bottom lip to stifle and laugh. A moment later, she was drenched in water from her head to her feet.

"Oh! Sully!" she exclaimed with sweet laughter. Sully threw the bucket aside and stood, equally drenched, a few steps from the woman he loved.

"Looks like ya been initiated into the family," he joked. Michaela liked the sound of that, and a moment later, she felt Sully's arms pulling her closer, and their lips met with a tender kiss. _Splash!_ Two cold streams of water hit them, forcing them apart, and they stared at the children. Michaela winked at Sully, and he cleared his throat. "Let's get 'em!" The children screeched with happiness and rushed away as the adults moved to get water from the barn.

Robert E. was riding up toward the homestead to deliver some letters to the lady doctor that Horace hadn't wanted to give to her himself. He smiled when he dismounted and saw the water fight in the progress. He cleared his throat, and everybody stopped, looking like pitiful drowned rats, but he could tell by their red cheeks and the smiles on their faces that they were happy.

"Sure look like a real family," he commented. "Nothin' wrong with havin' fun." Michaela blushed, and Sully walked over to Robert E.

"What can I do for ya?" he asked.

"Oh, Horace opened up the telegraph office when the government sent the army to convince him to do it." Robert E. shook his head with exasperation. "He asked me to bring you and Dr. Mike your letters and such."

"Thanks Robert E." Sully took the stack of mail between his thumb and forefinger, the driest two digits on his hand. Robert E. left a minute later, and Sully handed Michaela the majority of the envelopes.

"Ah, letters from home," Michaela said with a smile. He saw a hint of sadness appear in her face, and he didn't like seeing that. He turned to Matthew and Colleen.

"Kids, why don't ya go inside and get changed into some dry clothes?"

"Aww," they groaned in unison. But, they started into the house. Michaela had disappeared into the barn, and Sully followed slowly behind her. He quietly moved behind her and placed his hands upon her shoulders. They moved down, and his arms wrapped securely around her waist. Michaela closed her eyes for a moment and finally pulled away. Sully understood that this much attention was a bit much for her right now.

"Not bad news, is it?" Michaela sighed.

"Well, it's from my mother, so it's not bad news, and it isn't good." She turned around to face him.

"They're all from mother and father, but unfortunately, reading this makes me hesitant to read the others."

"How bad can it be?" Michaela sighed and shook her head. She looked down at the paper and began to read.

"Dearest Michaela, I don't know when you'll receive this, seeing as the speed of the post is abominably slow! I've had a bit of time to think about how you feel about this Sully character. I'm sure you find him charming, but that is only because you are too far from civilization to truly appreciate the handsome gentlemen that Boston has to offer." She paused and turned to pace about the barn. Sully watched her, feeling terrible for the way her mother was speaking through her written words. "I understand that your practice mostly consists of females and children as patients. They don't accept you out there, Michaela, and you need to face that. Your father is convinced that I will agree to this travesty that may become a relationship between you and this Sully fellow, but I will never comprehend how you could care for someone who has no class or sophistication whatsoever." Sully sighed, and Michaela continued. "I'm disappointed in you, Michaela, and I suggest that you return to Boston immediately to help your father with his practice. Your mother, Elizabeth Quinn." She looked up into Sully's eyes with tears in her own.

Everything was quiet, and Wolf, who was lying in the corner, put his head down on his paws as if he was oblivious to the fact that humans were in his presence.

"You alright?"

"Me?" Michaela asked. "What about you? My mother has absolutely no right to form such an opinion! She doesn't even know you!" Sully smiled.

"Ya know, this ain't usually the way to get on the parents' good side, I'm thinkin', but what really matters is how you feel and how you think."

"You know how I feel," Michaela replied. She looked down and brushed tears from her eyes. "I love you." Sully touched her cheek and gently lifted her head.

"I love you." He pressed a kiss to her lips. "Don't worry 'bout the words in that letter. I'm sorry ya had to read it."

"It's nothing new," Michaela replied, placing the letters down upon a barrel. She shook her head and took a deep breath. "Nothing I ever did was ever good enough for her. Everything I did was only 'nice' or 'interesting' or 'not as good as before.' She always compared everything I did to my sisters and would point out how different I was from them. She said that I had no respect for her and only for my father. I respected her, but she didn't want me to be me. She wanted me to be someone completely different."

"C'mere," Sully whispered. He pulled the lady doctor into his arms. Her head rested upon his chest, and her arms wrapped around him to softly caress his muscular back. "The only thing that matters is how you feel about yourself. Your Ma obviously don't know just how special you are. I do, Michaela. I see that light in your eyes, and I know you were brought to me for a reason. I don't ever wanna let ya go."

"Good," Michaela whispered as she and Sully gently rocked back and forth together, holding onto one another. "Never let go."


	16. Chapter Sixteen

4

Chapter Sixteen 

The last scoop of dirt was thrown over the grave of Samuel Bing, as mourners paid their last respects. Myra stood with Abagail and Martin to the side, while Horace stayed to the back of the crowd, not wishing to be seen. But, he had been seen, and the citizens of Colorado Springs took notice.

Sully and Michaela stood with the children near Myra, and Michaela was holding her friend's hand for support. Abagail had Myra's other hand, and just knowing these ladies were going to be there for her made her feel a tiny bit better. But, it didn't take away from the fact that Sam wasn't coming back. Watching them place his tiny wooden coffin into the ground had been hard enough, and after placing a rose on top of it, Myra had watched them ever so slowly cover him up.

His grave was just below the giant oak tree so he could always keep cool in the summertime. Myra knew that Sam would have loved the summer, and it was a shame that he'd never get to experience the joys that came with childhood in the summer time. He'd never get to go fishing at the creek with his friends or swimming on a hot, humid day. She kept trying to tell herself that at least he wouldn't have to suffer through the hardships that came with adulthood and growing up. He'd never have to worry about being hungry or lonely. Instead, he would watch over those who loved him and make sure they were taken care of.

The mourners slowly began to leave the graveyard, and Horace had left moments after the last shovel full of dirt was placed over his son's grave. Sully took Michaela's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. She looked at him with tears in her eyes, squeezed Myra's hand, and walked off with the man she loved and his family.

The Sully family and Michaela had been invited to Grace and Robert E.'s for lunch, because Grace had closed the café for the day. They were going to have a wake after the funeral, but Myra didn't want that. She felt in her heart that her little boy would want them to move on and not cry anymore. Though, that wouldn't stop her from locking herself in her room at the boarding house and crying non-stop until she fell into a restless sleep.

Neither Michaela nor Sully felt like eating, but they wanted the children to be with their friends. So, Matthew and Colleen followed the Smith family, while Sully and Michaela took Brian to the wagon. They rode over toward the clinic, and when they arrived, Sully took Brian upstairs for a nap. When he returned, downstairs, he found Michaela already beginning to unpack the things that she had intended to take with her back to Boston.

"Ya sure intended to take everything, didn't ya?" Sully asked, walking over to open up one of the cases. Michaela merely nodded her head.

"I couldn't just leave it all here." She began to place medicines and containers back on the bare shelves where they had been before. Sully looked at all of the things Michaela had to unpack, and he wasn't quite sure what to do with all of them.

"Where do ya want this?" He held a box with all of her surgical equipment in it.

"Over there," she instructed.

"And this?" he asked a moment later. Michaela sighed with a smile on her face.

"Sully, you don't have to help."

"I want to," he insisted. Michaela smiled again and moved to grab a few more bottles of medicine. Sully watched her unpack, and she could feel his eyes on her back. It made her feel somewhat comfortable to know that he was there with her. It had been an emotional morning, and having him there was a great comfort.

Michaela turned to carry something up the stairs and smacked right into Sully. She nearly dropped what she was carrying, but caught hold of it before it clattered to the floor. She and Sully shared a laugh between them, and Michaela quickly skirted out of the way when her heart began to pound. She saw the way Sully was looking at her, and though she liked it, she was slowly beginning to grow nervous. Never in her life had someone paid so much attention to her. It was all so overwhelming!

She rushed up the stairs, and Sully began working at placing linens into Michaela's closet. That was something he surely couldn't mess up, considering the fact that they were already neatly folded. He could hear her shoes on the wooden floors upstairs, and after a few minutes, he wondered what was taking her so long.

"Michaela?" Michaela's footsteps made their way down the stairs. She smiled at Sully when she reappeared. "Thought ya got lost."

"No," she replied plainly, moving to grab a few things out of the case to take to another shelf. Sully watched her for a moment before going back to what he was doing. He knew she was nervous, and he couldn't blame her. Everything had been happening rather quickly, and with everything else that had been happening lately, he couldn't blame her for being a little nervous, so he decided to lighten the mood and talk about something else.

"Colleen's sixth birthday is in a couple days," he commented.

"I know," Michaela answered with a happy smile.

"Oh, right, ya gave Ella to her." Michaela nodded. "That really meant a lot to her. She won't let that doll out of her sight."  
"I'm glad. Ella was my favorite doll as a child, and I'm glad that Colleen loves her so much."

"Well, I was wonderin' if ya wanted to come to the party we're havin' for her," Sully noted. "I'm not sure what to get her yet, but last year, she refused to let me buy her anything. She only wanted Charlotte."

"That's awful," Michaela whispered, feeling bad for the poor little girl.

"But this year, she keeps saying that she knows what she wants, but when I ask her, she refuses to tell me. She wants me to guess or somethin'."

"There's a little girl for you," Michaela said with a wink. "I'd be happy to come out for the party. I'll see if I can cook something . . ."

"You can cook?"

"Well . . ." Michaela hesitated. Sully laughed. "So, I'll be there. What time?" They both laughed, and Sully told her he'd pick her up at noon on Colleen's birthday.

Throughout the afternoon, they worked side by side in a rather comfortable silence. Sully kept his space, because he knew that Michaela was still upset about the events of the morning. Once in awhile, he'd reach over to softly rub her back, and she's return a smile in kind, knowing that he was doing his best to support her and help her.

Once the unpacking was completed, it was well past two in the afternoon, and Michaela felt the effects of hunger coming over her. The smell of meatloaf from Grace and Robert E.'s home came wafting through the open window of the clinic. Sully looked over at Michaela, hunger taking over him as well.

"Now that we're done, ya wanna go get somethin' to eat at Grace's? I'm sure her offer's still good."  
"That sounds like a lovely idea," Michaela replied with a smile. Sully made it upstairs to get Brian, and once he returned, he helped her on with her light coat, and she linked her arm through his. They marched toward the Smith's home, completely lost in the beautiful sunny afternoon. But, that beautiful feeling was quickly smashed when Michaela glanced toward the saloon to see Hank standing there with Loren. Something was going on.

"Sully, look," Michaela whispered, nodding toward the saloon. Horace was bent over an empty trough, emptying the contents of his stomach into the bottom of it. Loren reached over and thumped the telegraph operator on the back, causing his stomach to lurch again. Loren stepped back, giving Horace some room. Michaela began to walk toward the saloon, but Sully gently took her hand. She turned toward him.

"Ya gotta let him do this alone."

"But, Sully, I need to help him."

"You're only gonna make it worse." He hadn't meant that to sound the way it probably had, and Michaela knew it.

"I'm a doctor, Sully, and I took an oath to help people. Horace needs my help." She broke free from Sully and hurried toward the saloon, leaving him with Brian in the middle of the street.

Horace' s head was still hanging over the side of the trough when Michaela arrived.

"Horace?" Horace recognized the woman's voice, but couldn't find the strength to lift his head.

"Let him be, doc. Horace just had one too many," he said with a dry laugh.

"He shouldn't be drinking now," Michaela said softly. She put her hand on Horace's back. "Horace, it's Michaela." The rage that had built up inside of him strengthened him enough to let him lift his head.

"Leave me alone," he sputtered.

"You're drunk, Horace, and you need to rest," Michaela noted. A few men in the saloon had come to join the growing crowd.

"Don't tell me what to do! Ya don't know what I need!" Horace stood and began to stumble toward the telegraph office. Loren accompanied him so he wouldn't stumble and fall. Horace tried to break away, but he didn't have the best control of his motor skills at the moment.

"Horace, please! I want to help you!" Michaela followed after him. Sully, sensing something bad was going to happen, passed Brian off to Maude, who had come out of the general store to see the commotion. He rushed to make sure Horace didn't fall and break his neck. At that point, Horace tugged away from Mr. Bray so roughly that he ended up falling into the dirt. Loren looked stunned, and Michaela glanced at him.

"Loren, it's alright."

"Leave me alone!" Horace screamed, standing up shakily. "You don't know what you're talkin' about! Ya ain't a good doctor. Ya killed my son. Ya gotta pay!" Sully rushed to Michaela's side.

"Horace, calm down!" he said, stepping in front of Michaela so that Horace wouldn't do something stupid in a drunken rage.

"That's right," Horace muttered. "You're protectin' her. Well, she's gonna need somebody to . . .to st . . .stick up for her." The alcohol was really taking over him now. "First thing in the mornin', I'm wirin' Denver."

"What are ya talkin' about?" Sully asked.

"I'm suin' her! She killed my son, and she's gonna pay!" Myra, hearing everything that had just happened, rushed up.

"Horace, ya take it back!" she yelled. "Dr. Mike didn't kill Sam!" Michaela was shaking on the inside now. She hadn't gotten the chance to get to know Horace very well, but she had never seen him like this before. He was out of control.

"How could ya say that?" Horace asked, stumbling toward his wife. "Ya know what happened!" Myra began to cry, remembering her little boy's death.

"I know what happened," she whispered. She looked at the crowd that was now eyeing Michaela the way they had after she'd announced Sam's death. "Dr. Mike is a good doctor! She did what she could to save my baby's life! He was gonna die if she didn't operate, and he was fine! He was fine!" She was screaming so loud that mothers were beginning to sob, reliving painful pasts with their own children. Michaela moved to her friend's side and put a hand on her shoulder. Myra broke down, and Michaela pulled her into a hug. The citizens of Colorado Springs watched the scene, seeing the compassion and love that Michaela had inside of her. Horace stood by, watching incredulously.

"Myra, how could ya?" he asked. "How could ya say it wasn't her fault?" Myra pulled away from the doctor and turned back to her husband as Sully tried to get the crowd to break up.

"How?" she asked. "How? Because, I know it wasn't her fault! Horace, you were the one who was supposed to be takin' care of Sam when I was out. You let it happen! You let him die!" Horace looked as if he'd been shot through the heart, a look that wasn't uncommon upon his face lately.

"Myra," Michaela whispered. "Let's get you to the clinic so you can rest." Myra shook her head.

"I'm alright," she whispered. "I just don't think it's right for people to place blame on somebody when it's their own fault." Myra started off alone, needing to be by herself for a while. Horace shouted after her.

"I'll prove it!" Horace cried out. "Just wait 'til the judge gets here!" Sully was about to speak up, but Jake Slicker interrupted.

"Nobody's gonna testify against ya, Horace. Ya got no proof that she'd a bad doctor. All you got is somethin' bad that happened." Horace faced him, angrier than anyone had ever seen him.

"Ya never had your child die!" Horace screamed. Something inside of Jake snapped, and though he wanted to hit Horace, he knew the drunken man wouldn't be able to put up much of a fight. Horace turned back to Michaela.

"Just wait, Dr. Mike. Ya ain't ever gonna get to practice medicine again."

"Back off, Horace!" Sully finally interjected. Horace stumbled forward, allowing his fist to start toward Sully's face. Sully ducked out of the way, and Horace fell over him onto the ground. Sully helped him stand, and when Horace fought back, Jake moved to take him roughly by the forearms. He twisted them behind the man's back and pinned him against the outside wall of the saloon. Everybody stared in shock. The alcohol finally overwhelmed Horace, and he passed out. Jake looked at Hank.

"Help me get him home." With that, it was over, and Michaela stood with Sully in the center of the disappearing crowd.

"You alright?" he asked her. Michaela brushed away the tears and nodded her head. Sully pulled her close and felt that she was trembling.

"C'mon, let's get you to the clinic." She nodded, and Sully led her back to where they'd come from. Maude called over, promising to watch young Brian, and Sully nodded his thanks in her direction.

Sully shut the door to the clinic as soon as he and Dr. Mike were inside. He helped her with her coat and pulled over a chair for her to sit on. He knelt next to the chair and looked into her sad, tired eyes.

"You feelin' better?"

"Not really," she whispered, the tears falling freely and cascading down her face like tiny rivers.

"What Horace said wasn't true. Ya ain't a bad doctor. You've done a lot of good for folks already, and they see that. Did ya see the way they looked at ya after Myra talked to 'em? They don't blame you, Michaela. Horace is grievin'. I never lost a child before, but I came close, and it's a bad feelin'." Michaela looked even more upset now. "I didn't mean to bring that up." He sighed and took her hands in his.

"I know," Michaela whispered. "But, Sully, if he really goes through with this; if he sues me for malpractice, a judge may very well take away my license to practice medicine."

"I ain't gonna let that happen."

"We're powerless here, Sully."

"If it happens, and if I know ya as well as I think ya do, this case'll be taken all the way to Washington if it has to in order to get your license back." Michaela sniffled and dried her tears.

"Thank you for having faith it me, Sully. It means more to me than you'll ever know." Sully pulled the woman he loved into his arms, whispering comforting words to her to let her know that things were going to turn out just fine.

Jake Slicker shut the door to the barbershop after he and Hank lugged Horace's drunken body over to the telegraph office. They had barely gotten him to his bed before he emptied the rest of the contents of his stomach upon the floor of his room.

Jake's hands were shaking, and he longed for a drink so much that he could practically taste the whiskey. Unfortunately, Hank was actually sticking to his plan for once and keeping Jake away from liquor of any kind. He hadn't had a drink in what seemed like an eternity, but the day's events were pressing down hard on him. Horace's words repeated over and over in his head until he wanted to pull his hair out.

"_Ya never had your child die!"_ Jake practically fell into his barbering chair, and he swiveled it around so he could look in the mirror. _"Ya never had your child die!"_ God, he could have punched Horace into next Wednesday for that. Nobody knew the secret that Jake bore. Nobody knew what kind of pain he'd been through. Nobody would understand.

He stood up and walked up the stairs to his little room above his shop. He sat down on the bed and pulled a tin box out of his bedside drawer. He opened it and took out a small, folded piece of paper. He opened it up, and though he couldn't read it, he remembered every word that had been read to him.

_Dear Jacob,_

_I have news, my love! I talked to Dr. Porter this morning, and he says we're having a baby! Can you believe it? Oh, my love, I cannot wait until you come home. I can't wait to start making plans. We've waited so long for this, and our dreams are finally coming true! I hope you don't mind us naming him after you if he's a boy! I figured you wouldn't object. I love you so much._

_Your dearest Annabelle_

He held the paper up to his nose, and it still carried the faint sweet scent of lilac water. _"Ya never had your child die!"_

"I'm sorry, Annabelle," Jake whispered. He shut the paper away in the tin box again, hoping the smell of lilacs would never fade away. The longer he kept it hidden and locked away, the longer the scent would be there, waiting for him to open it up again and remember everything that had happened before he came to Colorado Springs.


	17. Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Seventeen 

A few days had passed, and it was the afternoon of Colleen's sixth birthday party. All of the invited folks were getting ready to go out to the homestead, and the Bray and Martin families were already there with the children, and Sully was coming to pick up Michaela as he had promised.

Michaela was working on a few charts when Sully arrived, and she smiled when she heard his footsteps on the porch of the clinic. She'd been so grateful to him for sticking by her. Horace was adamant about following through with a malpractice suit, but a judge hadn't come yet, and Michaela wasn't quite sure one ever would, but the citizens of Colorado Springs were starting to unite in order to keep the doctor who did so much good.

"Michaela?" He opened the door to find her still sitting at her desk. "Ready to go?" Michaela glanced at the clock.

"You're five minutes early."

"I am?" Sully asked. He shut the door and walked over toward the desk. Michaela smiled up at him as his hands touched the strong oak of the desk, and he leaned forward to meet her lips with a loving kiss. Michaela mumbled something against his lips, and Sully pulled back a bit. "What?"

"Nothing," Michaela replied with a grin.

"C'mon, what?"

"Nothing!" Michaela exclaimed, laughter showing in her eyes. "I was just trying to say that you probably knew you were early."

"Oh?"

"Mmhm," she replied as he kissed her again. "For this reason."

"Maybe you're right." Their kiss deepened, and Michaela felt as if she was going to fall out of her chair. A knock came to the door, and Grace came running in.

"Oh! I'm sorry!" she exclaimed, embarrassed once she saw what Michaela and Sully were in the middle of doing. Michaela pulled away from Sully, stood quickly and wiped her mouth off as her cheeks turned red.

"It's alright, Grace. We were just . . ." She didn't know how to fill in the blank. Grace grinned.

"Uh-huh," she laughed. Sully grinned a bit and placed his hand on Michaela's back as she stood nervous and stiff as a board. But, she relaxed just a little.

"What is it?" Sully asked, eyeing Grace curiously.

"Oh!" Grace exclaimed. Her face fell. "Well, there ain't no good way to go 'bout sayin' this, so I better say it now. That judge that Horace's been fixin' on havin' out here just came into town."

"What!" Michaela asked with surprise.

"Jeb Turner was comin' home from Denver, and overheard that Judge Edwards needed a way to Colorado Springs. Since the stage wasn't runnin' at the time, he offered to bring 'im. He just got here, and he ain't the most pleasant man in the world." She cleared her throat. "I thought I'd come by and tell ya. Everybody's fixin' on goin' out to your place, Sully. Want me to tell 'em not to?"

"No," Michaela interrupted. "I don't want Colleen's birthday ruined on account of me. I'll speak with the judge." Grace nodded and wished Michaela luck before leaving to join her family. Michaela turned to Sully with worry in her eyes. "Oh, Sully, what if . . ."

"Shh," Sully whispered, kissing her softly. "Everything is gonna be alright. Ya gotta believe that." Michaela nodded and Sully helped her with her coat.

They started out onto the porch of the clinic, and Michaela noticed the old gentleman, Judge Isaac Edwards. He looked rather tired and worn down from his trip, so Michaela hoped this would give her an opportunity to be hospitable.

"Judge Edwards?"

"Yes?" the man asked, puffing on a cigar. Sully's hand stayed placed on Michaela's back for support. "Who might you be, Miss?"

"I'm Dr. Michaela Quinn." The man nearly choked on the tip of his cigar.

"You're who I'm here to see."

"Yes, I understand," Michaela replied. "I see that you've just arrived, and I'm assuming that you would like to have a nice place to rest?"

"Well, that would be nice, but I would rather get down to business."  
"With all due respect, Judge Edwards," Sully intervened, "most of the folks in town are goin' out to my place for my little girl's sixth birthday party. There ain't gonna be no audience, and even the mother of the baby who died is on her way out to my place. Can't this hold 'til tomorrow?" The judge looked from Sully to Michaela.

"Is this man your husband?"

"No sir," Michaela replied with a hint of blushing on her face. She briefly glanced at Sully, and he gave her a knowing look, not wanting her to feel embarrassed. "I'm not married."

"Well, I suppose this will give me a bit of time to speak with some of the other citizens of your quaint little town," Judge Edwards suggested. "I will see you in court tomorrow. Be there promptly at noon." Michaela nodded, and after Judge Edwards walked off, she turned to Sully.

"You did just fine," he promised. He tenderly caressed her cheek. "Now let's get outta here and stop worryin' bout what might happen. It's all gonna work out, so ya just need to rest easy." Michaela decided to follow Sully's advice, and a few minutes later, they were well on their way out to the old homestead.

* * *

"Abby?" Martin walked over to sit next to Abagail on the porch of the homestead. Maude and Loren were in the barn setting up the games for Colleen's party, and the other guests had yet to start arriving. Abagail had been lost in her thoughts when Martin had spotted her. "Honey, somethin' wrong?" Abagail shook her head.

"I'm fine. Why?"

"Ya look sad." Abagail stared into her husband's eyes, realizing for the first time that she wasn't sad. She wasn't feeling much of anything toward the subject of her love for Sully. Love? Was it really?

"I'm not," she replied. Martin took his wife's hands in his.

"If ya ain't happy with me, Abagail, tell me. I want ya to be happy." She thought back to all of the times she had imagined Sully saying those words to her. She thought about how wonderful she always imagined it would be to hear him say 'I love you' to her for the first time. But, as her memories brought her back to reality, she looked into her husband's eyes. She saw so much love staring back at her at that very moment. It was love she hadn't seen until just now. He'd always looked at her like that, she supposed, but something had changed. Some invisible veil had lifted from in front of her eyes, and her heart filled with such love for her husband. Some gateway had opened, letting out the old puppy love and instilling a sense of happiness and comfortableness in her heart. Martin noticed a change in his wife somehow, and he cocked his head to the side, a grin coming over his face. "What?"

"Nothing," Abagail replied, smiling, truly smiling with pure love and happiness for the first time. It was official. Abagail Martin was finally falling head over heels in love with the man she knew she was supposed to spend the rest of her life with. Her husband.

* * *

Everyone was having fun at Colleen's sixth birthday party. All of the children were playing games, and little Brian and Anthony were sitting on a blanket with a few other babies on the porch of the homestead. Myra was talking with a few of the ladies, and everyone felt happy to see that she had decided to come to the party. She needed to be with friends in this difficult time in her life. Needless to say, Horace was nowhere around.

Sully was helping Colleen find the place to pin the tail on the donkey when he looked up to see Michaela staring off into space, the smile faded from her lips; her eyes filled with worry and fear. He snapped out of his trance when Colleen accidentally pinned the tail on him. He felt the pin poke him and jumped back. A few of the people laughed when they saw that he wasn't seriously hurt.

"Sorry Pa!" Colleen exclaimed. She found the donkey a moment later, and Sully removed the bandanna from around her eyes. "Someone else go! I want cake!" Another child stepped in as Colleen rushed over to Grace's refreshment table. Sully walked over toward Michaela, and she didn't even notice when he sat down beside her.

"Thinkin' bout tomorrow?" Michaela jumped a little, and she immediately smiled when she saw Sully.

"What?"

"Tomorrow. Looks like you're thinkin' 'bout the trial."

"Oh," she replied, the smile fading from her face. "Yes. I'm sorry, Sully."

"Hey, it's alright. Guess the important thing is that Colleen's havin' fun." Michaela smiled.

"She must be! This is the first time she's let Ella out of her sight since she got her." Michaela smiled as Sully's hand took hers.

"Wanna go somewhere?"

"What? We can't leave the party, Sully."

"I know," he replied. "After the party. Just you and me?" Michaela's eyes brightened, but her heart began to pound. Her stomach tied up in knots, and it felt like three hundred butterflies had begun flapping their wings inside of her. "Whaddya say?"

"I . . ." Before Michaela had the chance to answer, a scream came from the barn. She jumped up, grabbing the medical bag she'd instinctively brought with her. Who knew what could happen at a child's birthday party? Her instincts had been correct. She rushed off toward the barn to see Matthew lying awkwardly in a pile of hay. A crowd began to gather, and Michaela and Sully pushed their way through. RJ and Thomas climbed down from the loft to see if their friend was alright.

"Matthew!" Sully called out as Matthew groaned in pain. "What happened?"

"We were playin'," RJ answered. "Matthew lost his footin', and he fell over."

"Oh dear," Michaela whispered, a lump forming in her throat for fear that the boy might have internal injuries. "Where does it hurt?"

"My arm," Matthew replied. Michaela looked at Sully.

"I need to examine him for internal injuries."

"Go on in the homestead." Sully picked the boy up carefully and took him into the homestead. Michaela followed quickly, and Grace did too after reprimanding her boys for playing in the loft.

"Alright, let me see," Michaela said soothingly, examining Matthew's arm. Sully moved to give the doctor some room, and Grace went about finding cloths and a basin of water to wash the few tiny cuts that Matthew had received on his arm.

"What were ya thinkin', son?" Sully asked in a worried tone. Matthew was relieved that his father didn't sound angry, because the last thing he figured he needed was his father lecturing him at a time like this.

"I didn't mean to fall, Pa," Matthew explained.

"I know that, but I mean, what were ya thinkin' bein' up in that loft with RJ and Thomas? They coulda been hurt too."

"I'm sorry, Pa," Matthew whispered, looking thoroughly guilty and in pain.

"Good news," Michaela interjected. "You'll live." She grinned at the boy, making him grin as well. Sully glanced at the lady doctor.

"Ya sure he's alright?"

"He'll need to wear a sling for a couple of weeks, but nothing is broken," she pointed out. He won't need stitches, but he will need a bit of cleaning up."

"I'll take care of that," Grace offered.

"No, Grace, thank you," Michaela replied. "Why don't you go outside and tell everyone that he's alright.

"Yeah. Colleen's been real excited 'bout this party. Don't let that get ruined on account of me," Matthew said in a grown-up manner. Grace looked at the boy and finally decided that it wouldn't be right to let Colleen's only sixth birthday party come to an abrupt halt. So, she moved outside as Michaela began to cleanse the cuts on the boy's arm.

"Does that hurt?" she asked as she dabbed the damp cloth onto his sore skin.

"Nope," Matthew replied. He looked up at his father. "She's good! I don't feel a thing!" Sully smiled gratefully at his lady love, and before too long, Matthew was running outside to show all of his friends the sling that he had to wear for the next two weeks.

Michaela was cleaning up after caring for Brian, and Sully was standing by the window, watching as Martin and Abagail played with Colleen and Brian.

"Martin sure is good with kids," he pointed out.

"Yes," Michaela said with a smile. "I'm sure he'll be wonderful with children of his own." Sully slowly walked over to Michaela and put his hand over hers as she began to rummage through her medical bag. She stopped and looked up into Sully's eyes.

"Can't ya do this later?"

"Yes, but . . ."  
"C'mon. I want ya to have fun. Let's go on outside. Ya need to relax." Michaela smiled, loving how Sully was thinking about her needs when she wasn't doing the same for herself. She put her bad down and started for the door. Sully pulled her hand a bit, bringing her back toward him, and she nearly fell into his arms. She laughed as he scooped her up as if he was going to carry her over the threshold.

"What are you doing!" she laughed.

"This," he replied with a soft whisper, bringing his lips down upon hers in an inviting, loving kiss. Michaela didn't protest, and she let Sully kiss her in this way, loving how wonderful he made her feel. But, their romantic moment was interrupted when the laughter of children caused them to come back down from the clouds and into reality. He put her down, and she wrapped him in an embrace. A moment later, they walked out of the homestead hand-in-hand.


	18. Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Eighteen 

Once night fell, the party guests had gone home, and the party girl was tucked into her bed with Ella at her side. Matthew and Brian had fallen asleep as well. It had been a big day, and both Sully and Michaela were surprised that the two oldest had been able to go to sleep so quickly after having so much sugar in their systems from the party! Sully had seen Colleen go to the punchbowl at least six times, while Matthew had devoured four pieces of cake. It was a wonder than anyone had gotten some of the cake once the children had had their share!

Sully had quickly realized that his plan to go off someplace with the lady doctor would not work out once the potential baby-sitters explained that they had other things to do. Now, another problem had arisen. Michaela didn't have a ride home. But, Sully was quickly coming to up with a solution for that problem.

Michaela was sitting out on the porch with her medical bag in her hands. She didn't have much on her mind at the moment besides the upcoming trial. She knew that what had happened to Sam hadn't been her fault, but she also knew that many people didn't approve of women being doctors. She realized that if this Judge Edwards was one of those kinds of people, this could end up being one obstacle that Michaela Quinn M.D. could never overcome.

Sully had been in the barn putting a saddle on a spare horse for Michaela to take into town. He hated the idea of having her going off alone at night, but he couldn't take her back to town and leave the children unattended in the dark of night.

"I got a horse ready for ya. She'll move fast for ya if ya stick to the path and go straight into town," Sully explained, walking out of the barn. Michaela nodded her head in thanks, got up and started for the barn. Sully saw how upset she looked, and he followed her into the barn to see if there was anything he could do to help her.

He found her standing beside the horse; her hands were resting on the top of the saddle. Sully noticed her back heaving from silent sobs. He wasn't sure what to say to console her, so his hand moved to gently rub her back. She didn't draw away from his touch, but she turned to face him and threw her arms around his neck. Her head rested against his chest, and he wrapped his arms around her, making sure that she knew that he would always be there for her whether she needed him or not.

"I'm sorry," she cried, embarrassed by her sensitivity. She was supposed to be strong, bold and brave.

"Don't be," Sully whispered. "If the worst happens, Michaela, I'll fight it all the way to Washington by your side." Michaela nodded.

"I know, Sully. That's not why . . ."

"What is it, then?" Michaela closed her eyes, pulling away from him a bit. "You can tell me. C'mon." He took her hand in his and led her inside of the; over to a soft pile of fresh hay. They situated themselves comfortably across from one another, and Sully offered her a handkerchief.

"Thank you." She dried her own tears and wiped her nose. Sully waited patiently until she was ready to talk. He saw so much bursting to come out of her. He knew she was about to say something she'd kept suppressed inside of herself for years. "When I was growing up, I felt so alone. I was the black sheep of the family; I didn't fit in. The only one who truly seemed to care was my father. Of course I was close with my oldest sister, Rebecca, but she was growing up already and had her own problems to deal with. Now, she has her own family, and father is on the other side of the country. I especially felt alone when father was away on business, and I felt as if I had turned invisible. Does that sound ridiculous?" Sully shook his head.

"'Course it don't." He took Michaela's hands in his and kissed them both. "Feelin' alone was somethin' I felt most of my life 'til Charlotte helped me make a life. She was a good friend to me, and takin' in her kids made that lonely feelin' go away." Michaela's tears began to fall again, and Sully reached up to brush them away.

"If I ever had a problem, I would go to my father, but when he was away, and I needed him the most, I would keep my troubles to myself. Once in awhile, I would talk with Rebecca, but most of the time, I would feel as if I was walking along a dark and empty street, and not one home was lit up with an inviting light."

"Ya felt like nobody wanted to help ya?" Michaela nodded, grateful that Sully understood her.

"Exactly. Perhaps that was one of the major reasons I ultimately decided to become a doctor. I wanted to belong, and even if my career choice would be frowned upon, I would have some recognition. I would not be invisible." Sully was amazed at this woman's words. He now knew why she was so vocal and adamant about having her say. She wasn't invisible, and in Sully's eyes, she never would be.

"Don't worry 'bout that. You could never been invisible to me. You're the most beautiful woman I ever saw, and if ya ever feel like the world don't care, come out here. There's always gonna be a light in the window invitin' ya inside." Those words filled Michaela's heart with more love than she'd ever thought possible, and a smile brightened her face.

"Sully," she whispered, "thank you for understanding." For the first time, he truly did! Sully pulled her close, bringing her into his arms and placing feather-light kisses upon her forehead, nose, and finally her lips. She reciprocated, and her arms wrapped around him. She felt his hands caressing the back of her head. She felt him pull her hair down from the pins that had been holding it up, and his fingers began to stroke her long, gorgeous hair.

Michaela fell backwards into the hay, and with her arms wrapped around Sully, he fell on top of her. She let out a laugh as Sully pulled back a little to pull the straw out of her hair. She grinned up at him, loving how good he could make her feel after just a few words and a kiss. He looked down at her, smiling with more happiness that she'd ever seen from him. He was so beautiful, and all she wanted to do was kiss him again.

The smile slowly faded from her beautiful face, and Sully brought his face down to hers again. He stared into her eyes before she closed them as his lips touched hers again. Her hands moved to his back, and she felt his heart pounding so hard in his chest; she knew it was pounding just as fast and hard as her own. As her mouth opened up to his probing tongue, their connection grew by the moment. Sully suddenly drew back as if he'd been burned, realizing what was happening. He didn't want to hurt Michaela, and he knew that what was about to happen would have serious consequences for their relationship.

"I'm sorry," he said quickly, putting some space between himself and the woman he loved. Michaela sat up quickly, picking the straw out of her hair.

"No. I'm sorry. Sully, I'm the one who was emotional . . ."

"Yeah, and I didn't need to take advantage of that."

"You didn't!' Michaela exclaimed. "You didn't see me resisting did you?"

"No, but I shouldn't have done that."

"It's not your fault, and I don't blame you." She pressed a kiss to his cheek. Sully smiled a little and helped her with a few strands of straw that she hadn't found in her hair. "Sully?"

"Hmm?"

"I want to be more . . . more for you."

"More?"

"I have my boundaries, Sully, but I don't want to tense up when we get . . ." Her face was blushing by the moment.

"Ya weren't tense a minute ago."

"I know. Sully, I think we need to be careful, because I don't want to do something we might regret."

"Hey, I didn't have that intention," Sully replied. "I guess we just got a little carried away."

"I know. I trust you," she whispered, kissing him softly again.

"Good. Besides, I know what you're talkin' 'bout. I think waitin' is best too." Michaela looked at him as if he'd grown three heads. "What?"

"Nothing."

"C'mon. What?"

"Nothing!" she insisted. She finally caught his gaze and shook her head. "I know you've never been married, but something always told me that you . . . hadn't waited." Sully swallowed hard, and a smile slowly spread over his face. She didn't quite know if he'd just said he had or hadn't waited, and she felt that she needed to know to put her own curiosities to rest.

"Would it matter to ya if I hadn't?"

"Why are you asking me this?" Michaela wondered.

"I just wanna know."

"Sully!" Michaela laughed, standing up and shaking the straw off of her skirt. Sully stood to face her. "Well, a part of me would be a little worried that you hadn't, but I could accept it." She blushed and looked away. "I don't know why you want to know, anyway."

"'Cause I wanna know what's important to ya." He took her hands in his for what seemed like the thousandth time that evening. "Just so ya know, I've been waitin' too. I wanted to wait 'til I met the woman I wanted to share my world with, and . . . that woman's you." Michaela was completely blown away! The words he'd just said to her had surprised her, but they had made her weak in the knees at the same time. "So now ya know."

"I do know," she whispered. They met in a loving embrace, and Sully rested his chin on the top of Michaela's head. A moment later, she pulled away with a new look in her eyes.

"Michaela?"

"You said . . . you said I was the one you've been waiting for."

"Yeah?"

"That means . . ." She couldn't bring herself to say it, because the idea was completely overwhelming!

"Say it," he urged after several quiet moments.

"You . . . you want to marry me?" Her question didn't even phase him, and he stepped closer to her.

"I wanted to wait a little while before askin' ya," he explained. "But, now that ya figured it out, the surprise is ruined." Tears welled in Michaela's eyes, but this time, they were tears of absolute joy.

"Sully . . ."

"I don't have a ring. I was gonna order one, and I was even makin' arrangements with Loren." Michaela let out a small giggle, but quickly grew serious when Sully cleared his throat. "This is crazy. I never thought I'd fall in love. I never thought I'd ever be happy. Never had much luck as I was growin' up, and I never thought I'd be lucky enough to meet somebody as special as you. I fell in love with ya as I was watchin' ya care for my kids, and I'll never forget the look on your face the first time I told ya how I felt. I just want to spend the rest of my life with ya, and we can raise my kids . . . our kids together. You're a good ma to 'em, and they love ya so much. Michaela, will ya make our family official? Will you marry me?"

"Sully," she whispered again, smiling as the tears trickled down her face. "Look at me, I don't think I'll ever stop crying!" Sully grinned and moved to kiss her cheek; he kissed away the tears. When he pulled back, her eyes glittered like a million stars in the sky, and she nodded. "Yes, Sully. I will marry you."

* * *

Jake sat out on the porch of the barbershop, watching the goings on at Hank's Saloon. That place used to be like a second home to him, but he hadn't had a drop of alcohol in a long time. He felt as if he could use one at that moment, but of all people, the lady doctor had convinced him that he didn't need alcohol. Alcohol didn't make him a better person, and it didn't make him feel better, but his body had grown accustomed to having whiskey when he felt the way he did right now. 

The pain was killing him, and he wanted to talk about everything to someone who would listen. He wanted to pour everything out to somebody who didn't know him. He just wanted to feel like he could breathe again and not feel the pain that came with every waking moment.

At that moment, he saw Judge Edwards walking toward the boarding house after having left the saloon. The man didn't look affected by the alcohol he may have consumed, so Jake figured he'd been questioning people and past patients in order to prepare for the trial that would be occurring the next afternoon. It occurred to him that Dr. Mike might lose her license to practice medicine if she didn't win the case tomorrow. As much as he hated to admit it, Colorado Springs needed her, and she had been their only hope when it came to having a doctor come to their fair town.

"Judge Edwards!" he called out. He hoped to God that was the name of the judge. From what he'd heard around town, it was his name, and when the judge turned, he figured he'd been correct in his assumption. Jake walked over to meet him in the street. "Your honor, I'm Jake Slicker."

"Ah yes. I was going to speak with you at the trial tomorrow."

"I'd rather talk to ya now."

"What are you talking about? I was going to have you come to the stand to testify."

"I don't want to go to the stand, your honor. I don't want people knowin' the things I've got to say. But, I think I've got somethin' that can help Dr. Mike."

"Do you?"

"Yes. Can we go to my shop to talk?"

"Well, I don't normally do this, but you seem to have something important to say, and from what I've heard from the citizens of this town, that's a rare thing. So, lead the way." Jake decided not to feel insulted. The two men crossed the street and filed into Jake's shop. Jake locked the doors and lit a few lanterns before pulling up a chair for the judge to sit in.

"Where do ya want me to start?"

"You tell me. You're the one with the important information to divulge. What do you know about this case?" Jake cleared his throat and hoped that he could get through this private testimony without difficulty.

"I know that Dr. Mike did her best to save that baby. The surgery went just fine, and the baby didn't die 'til after he went home. He was just fine!"

"And what other knowledge brings this about?"

"I've seen it happen before."

"Care to explain?" Jake swallowed hard, his hands shaking and longing for a drink to hold. "Take your time, please." Jake only nodded.

"I was married a long time ago. Annabelle was her name. My Ma didn't approve of her, and her Ma didn't approve of me. But, we loved each other, and we got married after skippin' town together. We made a decent life for ourselves, and then I went to California when I got word that my Pa'd been found. My Pa ran out when we were little. I went lookin' for him, and I gave her the address to where I was stayin'. We'd been married just a few months when I left. A few months later, I got a letter from her sayin' we were gonna be parents." His lower lip was trembling, and he reached over to get a cup of water. He drank it down, and the judge watched him with curious eyes.

"Continue when you're ready," the judge urged.

"I went home as soon as I could, and by the time I got there, she was near ready to deliver. Took me months to get back to her. But, a week later, we had a son, Jake Jr. He looked just like me, but he sure had his ma's eyes." He cleared his throat again. "After a few weeks, he started getting sick, so we took 'im to the doctor. Doc Porter said he had some kinda blockage in his intestines. He told us what could happen, and we talked it over. We finally said it'd be best for Jake Jr. to get the surgery. He was fine after the surgery. Doc Porter told us to be careful with the bandages when we were visitin' the boy. He told us everything. Everything! But, Jake Jr. died at the hospital while all of us were sleepin'."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"He'd be eleven now. His ma said she blamed me, but I know she blamed herself. She killed herself the next mornin' before his funeral." He forced the tears back and silently swore to God that he wouldn't cry. "Found out later that the cut from his surgery got infected, 'cause one of the nurses forgot to check 'im on her rounds. Same thing happened with Horace and Myra's baby, only the baby was already home and outta Dr. Mike's hands. Dr. Mike didn't do nothin' wrong, and we can't lose her here. Maybe she can stop it from happenin' again."

* * *

The trial went on the next afternoon, and after Horace gave his testimony, several other citizens were called to testify. Since Horace couldn't afford a lawyer, Michaela decided that representing themselves would be the best way to go. 

Grace and Robert E. were both called to testify, and both gave their observations of Michaela's professional skills, shedding a good light upon the young woman doctor. A few children wanted to come up and speak about how she'd fixed their scraped knees and 'boo-boos.' Jake avoided the trial at all costs, knowing that his own story would impact the judge. He only hoped it would impact him in the right way.

Myra was the next to come to the stand.

"My baby boy was the most precious person to me in the whole world," she explained with tears in her eyes. "I trusted Dr. Mike to save his life, and she did that. She never broke that trust. My baby died, and it was an accident. It shouldn'ta happened, but it did, and now he's gone. I can't change that. Dr. Mike can't either, but I'm sure that if she could, she would."

"You still have faith in this woman after everything that has happened?" Judge Edwards wondered.

"More now than ever. She's a good doctor, and she did save my baby's life. She don't deserve to even have to be sittin' here today. My husband is too caught up in his grief to see that he's part of the reason this happened."

"And your relationship with your husband?"

"I ain't told nobody this yet, your honor, but the way I see it, my baby's gone 'cause his daddy wasn't doin' what he shoulda been doin'. I'm filin' for divorce papers come next week." Horace didn't even look surprised. He looked empty inside, and as Michaela looked at him, she didn't know if anyone would ever be able to get through to him again.

It wasn't long before Michaela was called to the stand to give her own testimony.

"Dr. Quinn, do you have anything you'd like to say before I make my decision?"

"Yes, your honor," she said softly, looking out to the people of Colorado Springs. "I came here, because I was hired by the people of this town. They needed a doctor; a good one. The needed someone who could take care of children when they were sick, deliver babies and care for the mothers, and they needed someone who could make sure lives were saved when they didn't need to be taken. I'm that person, Judge Edwards. I've made mistakes in my life that I will regret for the rest of my life, and I must say that I do feel guilty for what happened to Samuel Bing. I'm always asking myself questions like 'what if I had kept him a day or two longer at my clinic?' I don't know if it would have made a difference. I know Mr. Bing is terribly angry with me, and I can't blame him. Grief can do that to a person, but I can assure you that I am qualified to be a physician in this town. I graduated at the top of my class in medical school, and the license I was given proves it. I want to make sure there are no more unfortunate accidents like in Samuel Bing's case. I want to save mothers the grief of losing a child if I can possibly do so." She was silent, and her eyes moved to meet Sully's, and he nodded, knowing she did fine.

Judge Edwards cleared his throat as the people in the audience began to murmur.

"I don't need time to think about my decision. From what I've heard, many people in this town do not approve of having a woman doctor, but they do approve of you Dr. Quinn. I've heard a lot about you, Miss Quinn. I've heard about you from as far as San Francisco. People I've passed on my journeys have mentioned being bandaged up by a nice woman doctor in Colorado Springs, and I must say I've never heard a bad thing about you until now. From the testimonies I've heard today and in private, I have no other choice but to dismiss all charges made against Dr. Quinn." A cheer rose up from the crowd, but Horace moved to leave. Michaela, needing him to understand, moved to go after him. He turned to her and whispered something vile and swore to find some way to get her license revoked. But, Sully took Michaela's hand, whispered that he was proud of her, and the trial was adjourned.

Sully and Michaela stood together outside of the church, and Michaela felt a weight lifted off of her shoulder. But, she noticed Horace kneeling at his son's grave.

"He's never going to forgive me, Sully."

"Give 'im time, Michaela. Give 'im time." He squeezed her hand and looked into her eyes.

"Thank you," she said softly, "for supporting me."

"I'll always support ya, no matter what." He looked toward the children who were playing around Abagail and Martin. "C'mon, let's go tell the kids the good news."

"They were in there, Sully. They know the charges were dismissed."

"Not that news. Our news," he said, a smile appearing on his face. Michaela's smile brightened, and she nodded. The two walked off, hand-in-hand with their fingers linked together, to tell the children the good news of their engagement.

Life would never be the same for anyone in Colorado Springs, but Michaela Quinn soon found out that she was never going to be the black sheep again. She'd gained a new husband and three children six months later, without her mother's blessing, but with her father's, and she never had to worry about coming home to a dark clinic anymore. No, now she had a real home. She would always come home to a beautiful house with a loving family waiting inside, and she'd always be greeted by the glowing light of a fire in the window on the darkest of nights.

THE END...thank you all so much for your wonderful feedback!


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